Sen. Jon Kyl lingered beside his white Corvette a few days before the midterm elections, as if to signal plans to make a fast get-away from Congress and return to the perks of the private sector.

The Arizona Republican, campaigning for Rep. Martha McSally — who would eventually lose a hard fought-bid for his old Senate seat — never intended to spend much time on Capitol Hill after accepting Gov. Doug Ducey’s appointment to succeed the late Sen. John McCain in early September.