McCain May Face Primary Election Challenge

Meredith Jessup | October 05, 2009 3:20 PM

Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) is weighing a primary challenge to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in 2010, according to the Washington Post:

Hayworth, a former sportscaster who spent more than a decade in Congress before he was defeated in 2006 by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D), is a popular figure among grassroots conservatives -- a status McCain has never courted or achieved. McCain already faces a primary challenge from Chris Simcox, a founder of the Minutemen -- a leading anti-immigration group. While there is considerable resentment from some grassroots conservatives toward McCain, it's not clear that he is vulnerable to a primary challenge. McCain ended June with $4.65 million in the bank.