Arizona House Democrat to challenge McCain for Senate

“It’s a hard call, but I don’t think that I should be jumping the gun and throwing in my hat when the Legislature may have work to do — it’s premature,” Tobin said.

Tobin said he believes Kirkpatrick is motivated by the looming Supreme Court decision. Justices in early March heard the case brought by the GOP-controlled Arizona Legislature and seemed likely to overturn the state’s redistricting scheme.

“I think she sees the writing on the wall,” Tobin said.

Republicans running the state Legislature filed the lawsuit after complaining that the commission helped Democrats by packing large numbers of GOP voters into just a few districts. The state’s U.S. House delegation now has five Republicans and four Democrats, and GOP leaders say they expect at least a 7-2 split if the Legislature redraws the lines.

McCain was his party’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential candidate, losing to Barack Obama. A Navy flier who was held prisoner during the Vietnam War, McCain, 78, has long been one of his party’s most influential voices on military and foreign policy issues and is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

McCain announced his intention to seek re-election in April at a meeting of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“With a full heart, I ask Arizonans again for their support as I seek re-election to the United States Senate,” McCain told the supportive crowd. “I’m as determined as ever to deserve your trust and grateful as ever for the privilege.”

McCain, who was first elected to the Senate in 1986 and will be 80 when he seeks re-election next year, expects at least one GOP challenger. The state Republican Party’s leaders, dominated by conservatives, censured McCain last year for not being sufficiently conservative, but he’s brushed off the criticism.

The most prominent Republican to hint of challenging McCain is state Sen. Kelli Ward, a conservative member of the Arizona Legislature.

McCain will be a formidable opponent for any challenger. He already has more than $3.5 million in cash on hand and the ability to raise much more. Kirkpatrick has a tenth that amount in the bank.

“I respect John McCain’s service to our nation,” Kirkpatrick said in a video her campaign released. “I just believe our state’s changing.”

The former prosecutor’s video also emphasized her roots in the state, including pictures of boots she says she purchased with tips from waitressing.

“I’m not naive,” she says. “I know that Washington insiders are already trying to dig up dirt. But having grown up here, a little mud on my boots is part of life.”

Andrea Bozek, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s political arm, criticized Kirkpatrick for backing Obama’s health care and other programs.

“Ann Kirkpatrick has been part of the problem in Washington and Arizonans are paying the price,” Bozek said.

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Christie reported from Phoenix