Gang of Eight Members McCain and Rubio Win Primaries, as Does Arpaio

Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), both members of the Senate's loose-borders Gang of Eight, won primary races yesterday against more conservative opponents, Rubio convincingly and McCain handily.

Rubio, who has a career grade of C- from NumbersUSA, got 72 percent of the primary vote. McCain, with a career grade of D, received 52 percent. Both were running against three opponents. Both senators face Democratic opponents in the fall, both of whom are sitting members of the House. They are Rep. Pat Murphy in Florida (career grade of D-) and the somewhat more formidable Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in Arizona (career grade of D).

To continue the parallels, both McCain and Rubio lost earlier presidential races and both were insulted earlier this year by Donald Trump.

In other results, Joe Arpaio, the long-time controversial sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., and in recent years a strong advocate of immigration enforcement, won his GOP re-nomination fight in Arizona's most populous county. The only congressional member to lose a primary yesterday was Florida's Corrine Brown, a Democrat in a reasonably strong Democratic district, who is facing major corruption charges in the federal courts. She has a career grade of F on immigration and probably will be replaced by a member who will earn a similar rating.