John McCain is old and showing his years. Thus I suspect that he will not remain in the Senate if he loses. In case this gets you excited about the possibility that AZ could then provide us us with Senator 60 or 61, read on, because you are going to be dissapointed (as I was when I looked it up).
When you look at John McCain now, you see a man that is 72 and showing all of it and more. Whatever you can say about his policies etc. we can all agree that he has given it his all. In short, McCain is "All In" on this election.
I truly believe that the only thing that has kept him going politically is the desire to be President, and to outdo (rank-wise) his father and grandfather. With repeated bouts of one of the worst types of cancer, wealth beyond any ability to ever spend it, John should have retired long ago.
Thus, I strongly believe that if he loses on Tuesday we will learn soon there-after that he is resigning his seat in the Senate.
As we have learned, the details of a Senator resigning mid-term vary from state to state. So what is the law in AZ?
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/...
16-222. Vacancy in the office of United States senator or representative
A. When a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator or representative in Congress by reason of death or resignation, or from any other cause, the vacancy shall be filled at the next general election. At such election the person elected shall fill the unexpired term of the vacated office.
.
.
.
C. For a vacancy in the office of United States senator, the governor shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy. That appointee shall be of the same political party as the person vacating the office and shall serve until the person elected at the next general election is qualified and assumes office.
So there you have it. As much as we would like it, Janet Napolitano (D) cannot name a Democrat to the position. Unfortunately, that means we cannot hope that AZ will provide the 60th or 61st Dem Senator, and this makes it all the more likely that McCain would resign his seat.
This also works well for Napolitano. She can, in essense, pick her opponent for 2010. Look for her to pick a moderate, weak Republican, possibly someone who is fairly old.