By BOB CHRISTIE
Yesterday
PHOENIX (AP) — The Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature is moving to ensure that ailing Sen. John McCain’s seat isn’t on the November ballot if he leaves office, but Democrats plan to block the effort.
The effort emerged Tuesday as the state Senate put an emergency clause on a bill changing how members of Congress who die or resign are replaced.
U.S. Senate vacancies are filled by a governor’s appointee, with the seat on the next general election ballot. The secretary of state has interpreted that to mean that if McCain’s seat is vacated by May 31, it would be on the August primary and November general election ballot. The new proposal changes that to 150 days before the primary, or March 31 of this year. That takes McCain’s seat out of play.
McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer last summer and has been recovering in Arizona since before Christmas. He was hospitalized over the weekend for intestinal surgery needed to stem an infection and remains in a Phoenix hospital in stable condition.
more
https://apnews.com/2d467dd198464a4789597169a666a5b6/Arizona-Senate-moves-to-change-rules-for-replacing-McCain
