When Republicans don't win, they cheat. In fact, Arizona Republicans are schooling us all in pre-emptive cheating in order to try to ensure the seat of cancer-stricken Sen. John McCain stays in GOP control should it be vacated before November. Talking Points Memo writes:
The effort emerged Tuesday as the state Senate put an emergency clause on a bill changing how members of Congress who die or resign are replaced.
U.S. Senate vacancies are filled by a governor’s appointee, with the seat on the next general election ballot. The secretary of state has interpreted that to mean that if McCain’s seat is vacated by May 31, it would be on the August primary and November general election ballot. The new proposal changes that to 150 days before the primary, or March 31 of this year. That takes McCain’s seat out of play.
[McCain] was hospitalized over the weekend for intestinal surgery needed to stem an infection and remains in a Phoenix hospital in stable condition.
But Democrats plan to block the move since the emergency clause requires a two-thirds vote in the chamber, says Democratic Sen. Steve Farley.
“The thing is, we’re all going to vote against it as Democrats, so they won’t get their emergency. It’s silly for them to put it on and think we won’t notice.”
Having a second Senate seat to defend would double the chances that Democrats could pick up an Arizona Senate seat for the first time since Dennis DiConcini left office in 1995.
Nice try, GOP.
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