Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey will appoint Jon Kyl, who served three terms alongside John McCain and became the Senate minority whip before retiring in 2012, to replace McCain until a 2020 special election. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Kyl tapped to succeed McCain in Senate The selection of the former Republican senator to temporarily fill John McCain's seat sets up another battleground Senate race in 2020.

The appointment of former Sen. Jon Kyl to temporarily succeed the late Sen. John McCain won praise across the Republican spectrum Tuesday for providing short-term stability. But Kyl's status as a placeholder creates a prime opportunity for Democrats to gain an additional seat in 2020.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey tapped Kyl Tuesday for the vacant post, saying that the state needed a replacement who wouldn't need to learn on the job. Kyl served three terms alongside McCain and became the Senate minority whip before retiring in 2012.


But Kyl said he wouldn't commit to serving beyond this year, and said explicitly that he would not run in a special election in 2020 to serve out the final two years of McCain's term. McCain, who died on Aug. 25, after a battle with brain cancer, won his final six-year term in 2016.

Kyl's planned departure after two years is expected to set off a competitive special election in 2020, and the winner of that race would have to defend the seat again in 2022. Arizona is home to a battleground Senate race in November, meaning the state is likely to host a contested Senate election in each of the next four election cycles.

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During a news conference with Kyl at his side, Ducey emphasized the immediate need to fill the seat with someone who has experience on the job.

"There is no one in Arizona with the stature of Sen. Jon Kyl," Ducey said. "He is a man without comparable peer. With nearly two decades experience in the Senate serving alongside John McCain, Sen. Kyl is prepared to hit the ground running."

Kyl, 76, hinted that he might be willing to continue serving in the seat beyond this year, but was explicit that he would not run in 2020 or seek another office, saying he retired in 2012 to spend more time with family. His Washington career included 18 years in the Senate and eight years in the House before that. The outcomes of Ducey's reelection race and this year's battleground race for Arizona's other Senate seat, as well as Kyl's effectiveness returning to Senate work in the coming months, are potential factors in his decision whether to stay on next year.

"For now, there's much unfinished business on the Senate's calendar, including confirmation of President Trump's nominees to judicial and executive branch positions," Kyl said. "I look forward to going to Washington and getting to work."

Kyl has a longstanding relationship with McCain and his family, and spoke at the senator's services in Phoenix last week. He's also been an ally to the White House, helping direct Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's Supreme Court nominee, through the Senate ahead of his confirmation hearings this week. The appointment earned praise from both Trump and Cindy McCain, the Arizona senator's widow, quelling any potential dissent from either wing of the GOP ahead of Ducey's own reelection this year.

"Jon Kyl will be an extraordinary Senator representing an extraordinary state, Arizona. I look forward to working with him!" Trump tweeted.

Cindy McCain in a tweet called Kyl "a dear friend of mine and John's. It's a great tribute to John that he is prepared to go back into public service to help the state of Arizona."

Dan Eberhart, a major GOP donor based in Phoenix, called Kyl a "consensus pick."

"Jon Kyl is a safe choice for Gov. Ducey as he tries to balance his re-election and the McCain and Trump factions of the Arizona Republican Party," Eberhart said.

The appointment is a boost for Senate Republicans, who have been operating with a 50-49 voting majority since McCain cast his final vote in December before returning to Arizona for treatment. Kyl is an additional vote for Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation and gives Republicans a bit more breathing room as they seek to wrap up the remainder of legislative work ahead of November and in the lame-duck period after the midterm elections.

Kyl's decision not to run for the full term in 2020 will create an open special election for the final two years of McCain's term. With no incumbent running, the Republican field of contenders is expected to be crowded, and Democrats will likely consider Arizona one of their top potential targets on the Senate map next cycle.

"It has a great potential for a crowded primary," said Robert Graham, a former state party chairman, who briefly considered running for Senate last year and did not rule out a bid for the 2020 special election.

"People are zeroed in on this election on hand, but come November, right after the general, people who are interested are going to put stakes in the ground," Graham said.

Ducey attempted to blunt any speculation that he might run in the special election, saying he preferred serving as an executive. He also declined to address any potential appointment should Kyl step aside after this year, but said he hoped the senator would stay on for a longer term.

Democrats are optimistic about their chances to turn Arizona blue this fall after falling short of their hopes in recent cycles. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, one of the party's top Senate recruits, is squaring off against GOP Rep. Martha McSally in a battleground race. Ducey will face David Garcia, who won the Democratic nomination last week, in what's viewed as a potentially competitive race.

Felecia Rotellini, the state Democratic chairwoman, criticized Ducey's appointment of Kyl in a statement, saying he "doubled down on an anti-health care, anti-woman agenda that Arizonans are rejecting in 2018."

Since leaving the Senate, Kyl has been a lobbyist for Covington and Burling LLP in Washington. He has lobbied on behalf of a range of clients on defense and tax issues, and last year lobbied for the Judicial Crisis Network, a top GOP outside group pushing for the confirmation of Trump’s judicial nominees. In addition to helping shepherd Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Kyl also helped Attorney General Jeff Sessions ahead of his confirmation to the Senate last year.

