Ducey glad McSally ‘cleared air’ with McCains

The Latest on the appointment of Rep. Martha McSally to fill the late Sen. John McCain’s Senate seat (all times local):

10:50 a.m.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says he’s glad Arizona’s newest senator could “clear the air” with the widow of the Senator she’s replacing.

Ducey announced Tuesday that he’s appointing Rep. Martha McSally to fill the vacancy created by Sen. John McCain’s death in August.

Members of the McCain family were furious that McSally followed President Trump’s lead and didn’t mention McCain’s name at the signing of a defense bill just before McCain’s death.

At the time McSally was running for Arizona’s other open senate seat. On Friday, Ducey arranged a meeting between McSally and Cindy McCain, John McCain’s widow. He said at a press conference Tuesday that he was happy the women were able to “clear the air.”

Cindy McCain issued a tweet Tuesday saying she hoped McSally followed in her late husband’s footsteps.

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8:41 a.m.

Arizona’s governor has named Rep. Martha McSally to replace U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl in the U.S. Senate seat that belonged to Sen. John McCain.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday that McSally will take over after Kyl’s resignation becomes effective Dec. 31. McSally lost the Senate race to Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.

McSally will serve until the 2020 election, when voters will elect someone to serve the final two years of McCain’s term.

Kyl was appointed after McCain’s death from brain cancer in August. He previously served in the Senate for Arizona and had said he would only commit to serving until the end of 2018.