Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday appointed Rep. Martha McSally to fill the Senate vacancy originally created with the death of Republican Sen. John McCain.
Sen. Jon Kyl, a Republican, was appointed to succeed McCain on an interim basis. McSally, a Republican who lost a bid for Senate in November, received the appointment to McCain’s seat on a permanent basis, to take effect after Kyl departs the Senate on Dec. 31. McSally will immediately have to stand for election in a 2020 special election to determine who serves out the final two years of the six-year term McCain won in 2016, meaning she would almost immediately mount a campaign after taking office in 2019. If successful, she’ll have to turn around and run for re-election in 2022.
“Martha [McSally] is uniquely qualified to step up and fight for Arizona’s interests in the U.S. Senate,” Ducey, a Republican, said in a statement published by the Arizona Capitol Times. “I thank her for taking on this significant responsibility and look forward to working with her and Senator-Elect Sinema to get positive things done.”
McCain’s widow, who met with McSally on Friday, tweeted her approval of the choice Tuesday.
My husband’s greatest legacy was placing service to AZ & USA ahead of his own self-interest. I respect @dougducey‘s decision to appoint @RepMcSally to fill the remainder of his term. Arizonans will be pulling for her, hoping that she will follow his example of selfless leadership
— Cindy McCain (@cindymccain) December 18, 2018
There is some chance McSally could have to face voters event sooner. Ducey and Kyl are facing a legal battle that calls for a special election to be mounted in 2019.
The lawsuit says that Ducey is in violation of the 17th Amendment and calls for the court to direct the governor to call a special election to fill the seat within six months. It says that an appointee cannot serve for a long period of time instead of someone elected by voters.
