Arizona’s already high-profile U.S. Senate race drew new attention with the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and news that a new Arizona senator could be seated in time to vote on her replacement.
With Democratic challenger Mark Kelly currently leading Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, in both polling and fundraising, Democrats could move one vote closer to blocking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to push through a nominee before the end of the year.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty added to uncertainty, given the pandemic and increased mail-in-voting this year,” said Jessica Taylor, the Senate and governors editor for the Cook Political Report. “But if Kelly wins, that would bring them (Senate Republicans) down a seat they need.”
Taylor and others say it is not clear yet how much the Arizona race will be affected by the fight over Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18 of metastatic pancreatic cancer. But the fight has already motivated partisans nationwide.
