Getty Cindy McCain tweets support for Jon Kyl.
Cindy McCain tweeted her support for her late husband John McCain’s replacement in the United States Senate – former senator Jon Kyl.
McCain wrote on Twitter: “Jon Kyl is 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.”
Jon Kyl is 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.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey selected Kyl to replace John McCain in the U.S. Senate Tuesday afternoon. Kyl, 76, told Ducey he will serve at least until the end of 2018, the Arizona Republic reports.
Arizona law requires that any vacant U.S. Senate seat be filled until the next general election, so if Kyl were to leave before 2020, Ducey would be required to find another replacement again. Whoever wins the seat in 2020 will serve out the remainder of John McCain’s term, which ends in 2022.
Ducey said in a statement, “There is no one in Arizona more prepared to represent our state in the U.S. Senate than Jon Kyl. He understands how the Senate functions and will make an immediate and positive impact benefiting all Arizonans. I am deeply grateful to Senator Kyl for agreeing to succeed his friend and college of so many years. Every single day that Jon Kyl represents Arizona in the United States Senate is a day when our state is being well-served.”
Kyl served alongside McCain in the Senate from 1995 to 2013, and the two were reportedly quite close, according to both Kyl and Cindy McCain. Kyl spoke about McCain at a memorial service in Arizona after McCain’s death. You can view the speech below:
Kyl, a Nebraska native, attended the University of Arizona and graduated in 1964. Kyl was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and served until 1995, when he won his seat with the Senate. He chose not to seek re-election and left in the Senate in 2012 to work as a lobbyist at Covington & Burling.
