Former McCain adviser says Biden flipping Arizona could be late senator’s ‘revenge’

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.

“A lot of Democrats were looking for a quick knockout in the sunbelt, where Biden would take a red state away, particularly Florida, and it didn’t happen,” Mike Murphy says.

Arizona, if it flips for Joe Biden, “could be the revenge of John McCain,” Murphy adds. pic.twitter.com/3tqjgXicaZ

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 4, 2020

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. 

It’s like the ghost of John McCain turning down his thumb one last time.

— Blake News (@blakehounshell) November 4, 2020

Arizona potentially being the state that tips the election away from Trump and to Biden would be John McCain’s ultimate revenge

— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) November 4, 2020

The ghost of John McCain comes back for revenge.

BOOM.

Arizona goes Blue.

HUGE!

— Wajahat “Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic” Ali (@WajahatAli) November 4, 2020

Joe Biden is the first Democrat in 24 years to win Arizona. I’d like to imagine it as John McCain getting the last laugh.

— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) November 4, 2020

Look: Trump may end losing this election because of his irrational grudge against John McCain. Would be quite a dramatic flourish.

— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) November 4, 2020