Rep. Schweikert Pondering Primary Challenge to McCain in 2016

Veteran lawmaker John McCain could face a GOP primary challenger in 2016, Roll Call reports.

Rep. David Schweikert is pondering his political future, telling Roll Call he'll wait until after the holidays — and after discussions with his wife and family — before making any announcement about a possible Senate bid.

“Like everything we do in the political world, we’ll do it very disciplined,” Schweikert, who represents Arizona's 6th Congressional District, told Roll Call. “We’ll do it with math and data and polling, and go from there.”

Schweikert was first elected in 2010, and won an easy 2014 midterm re-election against Democrat opponent John Williamson, after running unopposed in his House primary, The Huffington Post reported.

Schweikert heads the House Science Committee's environment subcommittee.

McCain, 78, who is likely to run for another Senate term, his sixth, told Roll Call that he would expect a primary challenge.

“I think many people are not ruling it out,” McCain, who takes over in January as the new head of the Senate Armed Services committee, said. “I’d certainly expect a primary. I always have had a primary.”

Political observers say McCain, who has already begun fundraising for his next political fight, will likely be a tea party target in a 2016 race, particularly for his stance on immigration, The Hill noted.

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