Getty Cindy McCain
Cindy McCain, John McCain’s widow, is a Republican. In fact, as a result, she has been widely talked about as possibly being a replacement for her husband in the U.S. Senate.
A possible hurdle to that: Despite the fact the McCains are members of the Republican Party, they have not been fans of President Donald Trump. That feud, which culminated with Trump not being invited to McCain’s funeral, could make Arizona’s governor pause because of impeachment concerns.
The governor of Arizona will appoint McCain’s replacement, and that person must be a Republican under the law because they would be filling the seat of John McCain.
There is precedent; Mary Bono replaced her husband Sonny Bono in the House of Representatives when he died tragically.
U.S. Senator John McCain, a Republican, died at the age of 81 on August 25, 2018 of a brain tumor. Right now, the governor, who will get to appoint McCain’s replacement in the U.S. Senate, is being circumspect and saying little to show proper respect to the period of mourning.
In February 2018, Cindy said on the View that she was tired of Trump’s treatment of her husband, saying, “We need more compassion, more empathy, more togetherness. We don’t need more bullying and I’m tired of it.”
John and his second wife Cindy McCain have four children together. He also has three children from his first marriage. Their names are Doug, Andrew, and Sidney. McCain and Cindy Hensley married in 1980 and went on to have four children: Meghan, Jack, Bridget, and Jimmy. Cindy McCain is the mother of military veterans as Jack, Jimmy and Doug have served in the military.
Cindy McCain spoke to the Republican National Convention when her husband was running for president. You can read her 2008 speech to the Republican National Convention here.
Here’s what you need to know:
McCain Will Be Replaced by a Republican Until 2020 & Cindy Has Served as a Republican Delegate
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Is Cindy McCain a Republican or Democrat? Republican. She “was chosen to represent the state of Arizona at the Republican National Convention as the Chairwoman of the Arizona Delegation” in 2000, according to her bio.
McCain’s replacement will be a Republican. Because McCain died while he was still in office as a Senator, that means Arizona’s governor will get to appoint someone to serve out his term, according to The Washington Post.
According to Vox, Arizona state law holds that the governor must pick a Republican because that is the party of John McCain. Furthermore, Arizona’s governor is himself a Republican.
Thus, Democrats will have to wait until 2020 to have a shot at McCain’s Senate seat.
The replacement chosen by the governor will serve out McCain’s term through 2020. According to the Post, there would have been a special election for McCain’s seat if he had vacated it before May 30, 2018. However, McCain died on August 25, 2018, which gives the governor the appointment.
The governor of Arizona is Republican Doug Ducey. According to AZCentral, Ducey has been quiet about whom he might pick to replace McCain. The newspaper reported that the only thing Ducey has ruled out is appointing himself to the post.
Names floated by AZCentral as possibilities include McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain; Kirk Adams, Ducey’s chief of staff; Barbara Barrett, who ran for governor; former U.S. Senate Republican whip Jon Kyl; Karrin Taylor Robson, founder of a real-estate development company; former Congressman John Shadegg; Matt Salmon, a former Congressman; and Eileen Klein, the state treasurer.
In floating the name of Cindy McCain, the prominent Arizona newspaper noted that Cindy McCain, 64, is a “philanthropist, businesswoman, spouse, military mom, and grandmother.” The newspaper noted that she has appeared in her husband’s stead at public events as he fought brain cancer and has fought against human trafficking, giving her a public cause.
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Back in May 2018, Breitbart, the conservative news site, reported that Cindy McCain was likely to be John McCain’s replacement. The site noted that Cindy has described herself as pro-life but supports gay rights.
Cindy McCain’s estimated $300 million wealth is inherited, and it dwarfs that of her husband. John McCain’s finance disclosure reports indicate some of her wealth is held independently of him. She has a lot of it.
Cindy inherited a “Phoenix beer distributorship that is worth hundreds of millions of dollars,” reported The New York Times. Sites that estimate celebrity net worth often peg Cindy’s net worth at more than $100 million – and as noted even as high as $300 million – although no one knows the exact amount.
The Times reported that Cindy’s father started the business, Hensley & Company, “a half-century ago,” and it was the “exclusive wholesaler of Budweiser, Bud Light, and other Anheuser-Busch products in the Phoenix area.” The newspaper reported that the company was the third largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the United States.
Cindy owns 34 percent of the company and, with her children and other family members, controls 2/3rds of the company’s stock, reported The Times.
According to NPR, “The company, which distributes brands including Bud Light and Budweiser” had a “60 percent share of the Phoenix market and had $370 million in revenues” one recent year.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol February 5, 2015 in Washington, DC.
In 2000, Cindy McCain “inherited majority control and became chair of Hensley & Co. when her father passed away,” according to Celebrity Net Worth, which reports: “The company does more than $400 million per year in revenue and employs 1200 people. Hensley is the third-largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the United States and one of the largest privately-owned companies in Arizona.”
Controversial former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently complained that Cindy McCain blocked him on Twitter.