On Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) will announce his plans to seek a sixth term in the Senate. Cool. Great. Not super groundbreaking news until one remembers that he is vaguely stealing the spotlight from his nemesis from the East, Sen. Rand Paul who is announcing his presidential campaign today too.
"The reason why I want to seek re-election is that there's a lot more to do, both for Arizona and the country," said McCain, who will announce his bid in a speech for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell reports:
Tea Party groups see him as a top target for a primary challenge. Last year, Arizona's state Republican Party censured McCain as too liberal, but today he says his home state relationships "have improved significantly."...
To win his own re-election, McCain said he will stress home state issues, including Arizona's drought, his work to benefit a local copper mine and his bipartisan legislation to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs after scandal at Phoenix VA Medical Center.
McCain, who is currently a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has served as a senator since 1986 when he replaced Sen. Barry Goldwater.
To those worried that McCain's advanced age will pose a problem (he will be 80 in 2016 and 86 by the end of his hypothetical sixth term) he responded, "I'm happy to tell you my mother is 103-years-old and she's doing well. Watch me. Take a look at my 18-hour days. Take a look at the hearings we have. Take a look at my legislative accomplishments. Listen, I'm just getting started."
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