Mike Murphy, a GOP strategist and former adviser for John McCain’s 2000 presidential bid, said Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s win in Arizona on Tuesday could be the late Republican senator’s “revenge.”
Murphy made the remarks on MSNBC hours before The Associated Press called Arizona for the former vice president, positioning Biden to secure the state’s 11 electoral votes.
Biden is the first Democrat to capture the Grand Canyon State since former President Clinton in 1996. President Trump defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the state by roughly 4 points four years ago.
Trump long had a contentious relationship with McCain, the GOP’s 2008 presidential nominee and longtime senator who died in 2018 of brain cancer.
During his presidential campaign in 2015, Trump sparked backlash for saying that the former prisoner of war in Vietnam was not a hero because the president preferred those who weren’t “captured.” Trump also lambasted McCain for voting against a scaled-down GOP bill to repeal ObamaCare in 2017.
Biden was aided in his 2020 bid by the support of the McCain family, including his widow, Cindy McCain, and his daughter, “The View” co-host Meghan McCain.
Cindy McCain endorsed Biden in September, calling him a “good and honest man.” She later joined the advisory board for his presidential transition team.
News of Biden’s win also came as retired U.S. Navy captain and former astronaut Mark Kelly was projected to defeat Sen. Martha McSally (R) for the seat once occupied by John McCain.
Many social media users echoed Murphy’s statements, saying Arizona’s historic blue flip was an homage to the late senator.