By Dan Nowicki | The Arizona Republic
Will Sen. John McCain’s current term be his last?
Arizona’s senior Republican senator this year has reclaimed his role as a key bipartisan deal-maker on comprehensive immigration reform, a priority he downplayed while under intense scrutiny from conservative activists during the 2008 GOP presidential primaries and his 2010 Senate re-election campaign.
His return to the center on such a volatile issue — many “tea party” voters still oppose what they view as “amnesty” for illegal immigrants — has renewed speculation among Capitol Hill insiders that McCain is focusing on his legacy and feels he has nothing to lose politically by provoking the far right of his party.
Political observers say McCain’s passionate push to complete comprehensive immigration reform, combined with other signs, might indicate that he doesn’t intend to seek a sixth Senate term three years from now.
