Former Republican Nominee for President wants to avoid a defeat for Trump's SCOTUS nominee

Senator John McCain will resign his US Senate seat on July 4, 2018, says an aide who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

"In the end, it was about Kennedy resigning from the Supreme Court," said the aide. "Confirming a (SCOTUS) replacement before the election is considered in the interest of the national Republican party, so that it doesn't become an issue for Dems to run on in every race," said the aide, meaning every race for Senate or Congress.

The Aide indicated that the Senator wanted to wait until June 1 to resign, so that his seat would not be on the ballot along with retiring Jeff Flake. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey will appoint a Senator to serve until the 2020 election.

The aide said that Ducey has quietly offered McCain's seat to Cindy, but the 64 year old wife of Senator John McCain has made no decision as of yet. "Understandably, she doesn't want to think about it," he added.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was disgnosed with a brain tumor in July, 2017. The 81-year-old symbol of "never-Trump" Republicans, has not been seen in the US Capitol since December.

"If McCain leaves office before May 30, the Post indicated, his Senate seat will be on the ballot in Arizona in November 2018, as will that of his retiring junior colleague, Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. After May 30, the new senator - who would be appointed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey - would serve through 2020." https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/4/4/17197218/john-mccain-brain-cancer-arizona-senate-vacancy

Political commentator Meghan McCain with her dad, John McCain

Speculation on who would replace the Arizona Senator has become a DC parlor game, almost. The Washington Post reported that a list of possible successors is circulating in the whispering Republican class, and includes McCain's wife, Cindy McCain, and former US Sen. Jon Kyl.

In March, White House communications aide Kelly Sadler said that the party didn't need to worry about Senator John McCain's opposition to President Trump's nominee for CIA director because "it doesn't matter, he's dying anyway." A week later, deputy press secretary Raj Shah said in a statement: "Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within the Executive Office of the President."

Under normal circumstances one would expect the White House to quickly fire an aide who mocked a senator battling brain cancer, but that's not what happened. Sadler made the remark nearly a month before she was fired. Meghan McCain, the senator's daughter, said that Sadler called her to say she was sorry and promised to apologize publicly as well, but never did.