AZPM provides in-depth local and national coverage of the 2016 elections.
Arizona’s U.S. Senate race is getting national attention as the primary election approaches. For Republicans, it’s a three-way race, while Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick has no opposition.
Incumbent John McCain and challengers Kelli Ward and Clair Van Steenwyk are seeking the Republican nomination. Alex Melusky is also on the ballot, although he has suspended his campaign.
A fifth person is also working his way into the race: Donald Trump.
The three active candidates said they support the Republican presidential nominee, but Trump’s criticism of and refusal to endorse McCain has become an issue in recent days. The senator has repeatedly said he backs the nominee but doesn’t agree with everything he says.
“I said I would support the nominee of the party, but I have very strong differences with Donald Trump,” McCain said, adding, “But I have very strong differences, more strong differences, with Hillary Clinton.”
McCain challenger Kelli Ward said she sees no reason to not back Trump.
“I hope that we actually bring the party together and we rally behind him as our nominee because that is what the people want," Ward said. "The people want change. The people want someone different. The people want someone who speaks their language."
Van Steenwyk also supports Trump, noting that he and the Republican presidential nominee overlap on immigration.
“I have always wanted a closed border, I have always wanted benefits cut off to illegals whether they are here through visitor visa, work visa or just came here illegally,” Van Steenwyk said.
McCain, who turns 80 this month, said he had considered retiring but instead opted to run again, citing national security and issues facing Arizona, like “fire and water” - wildfire dangers and coming water shortages.
The incumbent’s challengers gave differing reasons for their Senate bids. Ward, a doctor, said the possibility of a Medicaid expansion, and Obamacare in general, compelled her to jump into the political arena. She also reiterated the theme of change, referring to McCain as “a very big D.C. dinosaur.”
“He’s been there for a long time, he’s got a lot of power," she said. "And this particular dinosaur has a lot of tentacles that go into every political pocket of money and power that exist in the state and in the country.”
Van Steenwyk, a retired radio talk show host, said he didn’t like the look of the Republican field.
“I asked myself one simple question: ‘Can I vote for any one of these three people?’ And when the answer was no, that was the final decision,” he said.
Van Steenwyk also said he wants Washington to stay out of public schools and the federal government to turn land over to the state. But he won’t join the Republican Party in laying the blame on Democrats.
“They want to blame it all on the Obama administration," Van Steenwyk said. "I submit to you that George Bush was president for eight years. His father was president for four years. In that 12-year span they did nothing.”
Oddsmakers give the Republican primary to McCain, but 2016 is shaping up to be the year of the outsider.
The winner of the Republican Senate primary will face Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick in November.
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