Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, enjoys a laugh with Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., left, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., during a news conference about a plan to protect the military from budget cuts, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011. McCain has drawn the ire of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after the senator goaded Putin in a Twitter post about mass protests in Russia over alleged vote fraud. Putin lashed back at McCain saying, “He has a lot of blood of peaceful civilians on his hands,” referring to McCain’s role as a combat pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Jon Kyl, once one of the most powerful Republicans in the U.S. Senate, will return to Capitol Hill to succeed the late Sen. John McCain, The Arizona Republic has learned. Gov. Doug Ducey is scheduled to unveil the 76-year-old as McCain’s successor at a 10 a.m. news conference at the Arizona Capitol, after notifying McCain’s wife, Cindy, and other key political figures of his decision.

Great choice.

Kyl is obviously a temporary replacement so Ducey isn’t putting his finger on the scale.

Cindy McCain was not given a sympathy appointment.

Thank heaven, the Meghan McCain for Senate boomlet has been deflated.

Kyl is a solid conservative. He knows his way around the Senate. And he knows his way back to Arizona.

I am deeply grateful to Senator Kyl for agreeing to succeed his friend and colleague of so many years. Every single day that Jon Kyl represents #Arizona in the U.S. Senate is a day our state is well-served. #KylforAZ #KavanaughConfirmation https://t.co/e6zHvEOk5O — Doug Ducey (@dougducey) September 4, 2018

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