Jan Brewer defends McCain from critics calling for him to step down
May 23, 2018, 6:26 PM
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain has spent much of the past year battling a form of deadly brain cancer in private, sparking rumors whether he would step down before May 30 to allow Arizona voters to elect another senator.
If McCain does not step down by that time and later resigns or dies, Gov. Doug Ducey would be tasked with appointing someone who would serve as senator until 2020.
But with the deadline just days away, one Arizona lawmaker is shielding McCain from the critics who say he should step down: Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
“I think its a lot of people looking to get that appointment so that they can maybe run and have that state as an incumbent. I think its very selfish and I think its mean,” Brewer told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac and Gaydos.
“[McCain] ran and he won and he’s had health problems — and I know there are statistics out there and some are not so good, but some people have lived as long as five years,” she added.
“That might be his will, maybe he will get better and be able to return. I don’t think anybody has the right to tell him to step down because it would be what they think is the right thing to do.”
Brewer said the situation reminded her of what she went through more than two decades ago as Senate Majority Whip. Brewer said she suffered a “major, major heart attack” and immediately felt like her fellow lawmakers were “dancing on [her] grave.
“I felt so betrayed by the members of my caucus. It was like they were wishing me a death wish,” the Republican from Arizona said.
“It was almost like they were wishing death on me, it was a horrible feeling.”
But Brewer had a word of advice for those who might be waiting for McCain to leave office: “I would caution people to not be so aggressive, let the man do what he wants to do when he wants to do it and be gracious about it. I don’t believe this is the time to be bickering about this issue.
“We are all dying, we just don’t know when.”