Ever since he's been in the Senate, John McCain hasn't had any wories about job security. The Arizona Republican hasn't had a serious challenge in a general election, nad he's yet to face any sort of real primary challenge. But this next time around, in 2010, things are likely to be different.
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza reports that former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., is considering running against McCain in the Republican primary next year. If he does get into the race, Hayworth would be the second person to do so, after Minutemen co-founder Chris Simcox.
Hayworth's unlikely to pose a legitimate threat to McCain, who has the advantage of incumbency, plus name recognition and a sizeable war chest that -- given his national connections -- he should have no trouble adding to. Plus, if Simcox stays in, there's the possibility that the two challengers could split the anti-McCain vote. But it's hard to overstate the degree of distaste that many conservatives feel towards McCain, and someone like Hayworth could reap the benefits, taking in money and help from Republicans around the country. And in a Republican primary, McCain won't have the support of independents and conservative Democrats to help him.
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