John McCain's ideal Senate successor would be a Hispanic woman, former staffer says

Maria Polletta | The Republic | azcentral.com

Show Caption Hide Caption Sen. John McCain may have wanted a Hispanic woman as his successor Former McCain staffer Rick Davis said Sen. John McCain thought about who might succeed him prior to his death.

John McCain likely wouldn't want a white man to take his place in the U.S. Senate, his former campaign manager said Monday.

"He's always been someone who's encouraged participation in politics, especially in the Republican Party, with minorities and women," Rick Davis said during a news conference.

"I think a Hispanic woman probably would've been his pick for a successor if he would've lived long enough."

Davis declined to go into further detail about McCain's wishes or speculate on specific appointment possibilities, confirming only that the senator had contemplated what the replacement process would look like over the years.

"I think he had a different plan in mind in those days, and I think he was looking forward to retiring after this last term in office and enjoying that back porch in Sedona," he said. "…He never got that far."

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Names floated include mainly white women and men

Among the names floated as possible replacements include McCain's wife, Cindy, a philanthropist and businesswoman; Kirk Adams, Ducey's chief of staff; Barbara Barrett, the first Republican woman to run for Arizona governor; Jon Kyl, former U.S. Senate Republican whip; Karrin Taylor Robson, founder of a land-use strategy company; former congressmen Matt Salmon and John Shadegg; and state treasurer Eileen Klein.

There is little racial or ethnic diversity among those on the list.

Gov. Doug Ducey, who is seeking re-election this fall, has said he will wait to appoint McCain's successor until after the senator has been laid to rest. Ducey has refused to discuss the matter until then, also opting not to attend campaign events this week "out of respect."

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No matter who takes McCain's place, Davis said he struggles to imagine what the Senate will look like in McCain's absence.

"You don't get that kind of authenticity in an elected official very often, and certainly not as a candidate, where the modern polling systems are going to tell you what to say every night on the evening news," he said.

"I hope that part of what we can accomplish with the focus on his life and his times and his views this week will maybe entice a few other budding elected officials, political wannabees, existing elected officials to say, 'Wow, it worked great for John McCain. Maybe I ought to give it a try.'"

Republic reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez contributed to this article.

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