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Sens. Reid And McCain Have One Thing In Common: The Tea Party Hates Them

A campaign called "anyone but McCain" is under way in Arizona as Republicans look to replace long-term senator John McCain.
Alex Brandon/AP

A campaign called "anyone but McCain" is under way in Arizona as Republicans look to replace long-term senator John McCain.

The Tea Party is a political movement based upon the belief that federal oversight is a bad thing and the deficit should be cut by slashing government spending.

And more than five years ago, the party took a big leap forward with a massive rally in Searchlight, home to then-U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The Tea Party threw its support for Sharron Angle against Reid, but Reid won re-election.

Now, in the Southwest, another senator with the stature of Harry Reid is Arizona’s Republican Senator, John McCain. And guess what’s happening there?

An “anyone but McCain” movement has been started by Republicans.

Why?

Former Las Vegas Sun editor Michael Squires, now the politics editor at the Arizona Republic, says McCain is seen as too much of a compromiser for the Tea Party.

"The also look at him and his decades in Congress and say 'This guy has gone native. He's a creature of Washington. He's no longer one of us. He is no longer a true believer.'' Squires said.

Squires said that even when McCain was running for president seven years ago many people in the Republican party did not like him for the same reasons they don't like him now.

"He was willing to work on legislation with Ted Kennedy," he said, "He was willing to work on the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill. They don't look at those and think, 'oh that's compromise legislation.' They see that's betrayal of conservative principals." 

Squires believes everyone will know where the Tea Party stands as far as popularity and power when the state Republican Party meets and votes on issues in January.

Last year, the party censured McCain for his vote on immigration reform, but now Squires said the McCain team has put some of its loyal supporters on some of the precinct boards so it could be very different next year. 

 Squires also believes one of the biggest problems for those who want John McCain out is finding a viable candidate they like to replace him. 

 Michael Squires, politics editor, Arizona Republic

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.