McCain Dismayed Trump Fired Up Arizona's "Crazies" After He Helped "Regain Control" Of Arizona GOP

Arizona Senator John McCain went to the national press today to express his concern that Donald Trump (and Joe Arpaio) "fired up the crazies" at Saturday's rally in Phoenix.  McCain told the New Yorker's Ryan Lizza that he had helped "to some degree regain control of the (Arizona Republican) Party.”

McCain is running for reelection next year, and faces a primary challenge from state lawmaker Kelli Ward, and a Democratic challenge from Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-CD1).

Apparent billionaire Donald Trump held an immigration-focused rally to support his Presidential campaign, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio helped warm up the crowd and introduce Trump.

Even though it was "very hurtful to me", McCain still referenced Trump as "our friend" (no surprise there). “It’s very bad. This performance with our friend out in Phoenix is very hurtful to me, because what he did was he fired up the crazies.”

He also acknowledged that he has been fighting to push extremists (who oppose him) out of the Arizona GOP.  “We did to some degree regain control of the Party.”

But McCain fears that Trump may be reversing those gains. “Now he galvanized them,” McCain said. “He’s really got them activated.”

McCain's campaign finance report for the 2nd quarter of this year is not yet available. It was due yesterday, but the U.S. Senate permits Senators to file on paper, which then need to be converted before being published on the internet.

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