He's served in the Senate for nearly three decades, but never has John McCain faced a reelection like this year. Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, who has been a persistent presence in McCain's bid for another term. On Tuesday, McCain defeated his main challenger in the Republican primary, Kelli Ward, a former state lawmaker and staunch Trump supporter. Based on initial returns, McCain outpaced Ward by double digits, enough for the Associated Press to call the race. The tactic by Ward forced McCain to repeatedly field questions about his views on Trump, leaving little discourse about issues that pertained specifically to Arizona.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 31, 2016 04:02 UTC