PHOENIX — A month after losing her bid for the U.S. Senate, Gov. Doug Ducey is appointing Martha McSally to fill the seat being vacated by Jon Kyl.
The move comes on the heels of the decision by Kyl, who replaced John McCain after his death in August, to return to the private sector. That move had been long anticipated.
Watch live: McSally appointed by Ducey to McCain's seat
It also comes after the governor has been openly lobbied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to name McSally to the seat.
There had been some pushback against naming McSally, and not just after she lost her own election to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in a state where Republicans have a voter registration edge and Ducey himself won a new term handily.
McSally did herself no favors earlier this year when taking credit for a new defense spending bill without mentioning McCain — no small feat as the legislation was dubbed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act of 2019.
She sought to make amends by meeting recently with Cindy McCain.
But others in the McCain clan were not happy.
In a tweet several days ago, Ben Domench, husband by Meghan McCain, said that McSally would be an "unwise choice."
A factor that may have affected Ducey's decision is that McSally will have to run again in 2020 for the remaining two years on McCain's original six-year term. That will require someone with not just campaign experience but the ability to raise money. McSally has shown she can do both.
Ducey, in announcing the appointment, made no mention of either the issues with McCain or the 2020 race. Instead he cited McSally's 26 years in the military, her six deployments to the Middle East and Afghanistan and being the first woman to fly in combat and command a fighter squadron in combat.
He also noted her two two-year terms representing the congressional district in Southern Arizona.
"Martha is uniquely qualified to step up and fight for Arizona's interests in the U.S. Senate," he said in a prepared statement.
McSally, in her own prepared remarks ahead of a press conference later this morning, said she has had the opportunity during the past year to travel across the state and listen to residents. And in a tip of the hat to the woman who defeated her last month, McSally said she looks forward to working with her.
