By Howard Fischer
Mail | X: @azcapmedia

PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs on Monday tapped Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of the late Sen. John McCain, as her latest pick to the Arizona Board of Regents.

In a formal statement, the governor praised McCain’s record as “a veteran, a businessman, and native Arizonans who is passionate about connecting every Arizona community to the education they need to thrive.” She also mentioned his military experience including being a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But Hobbs said he also has a connection to the state university system the board oversees, including that he has a bachelor’s degree and one of his two master’s degrees from Arizona State University. He now is pursuing a doctorate in education.

McCain, however, wasn’t her first choice for the job.

Last year she tapped Liz Archuleta for the seat reserved for someone who lives in Apache, Coconino, Gila, Mohave, Navajo or Yavapai county. Archuleta lives in Flagstaff.

But the Senate never gave Archuleta a hearing. So this past April, when Archuleta had served the one year allowed without Senate action, she was forced to quit.

Sen. David Farnsworth, R-Mesa, who chaired the Senate Education Committee that normally reviews nominations to the board, referred questions to Senate President Warren Petersen. And Petersen, up until Monday, has not responded to requests for comment.

Liliana Soto, press aide to Hobbs, said McCain’s decision to change parties had nothing to do with her decision to appoint him.

“Jimmy McCain has a strong track record of leadership, collaboration, and service,” Soto said. She also said the governor believes he is “committed to keeping Arizona’s universities affordable and innovative.”

Whether McCain might fare better in getting confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate for the slot and the eight-year term that is considered to represent northern Arizona remains unclear.

On one hand, he comes from a famous family, with his father, who had been a prisoner of war in Vietnam, having served as a Republican in Congress for 31 years and even was the GOP candidate for president in 2008 against Barack Obama.

But the younger McCain announced a year ago he had registered as a Democrat and said he would vote for Kamala Harris, the party’s nominee for president.

He said at the time he had been an independent since leaving the GOP in 2016 after Trump became the Republican candidate for president. As to becoming a Democrat, McCain cited an incident by Trump during his 2024 bid for a second term where he was laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery that some said turned into a campaign event.

There also was bad blood with Trump over public comments he made about John McCain, saying he’s not a war hero.

“He was a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said. “I like people who weren’t captured.”

Jimmy’s mother, Cindy, also had her own political run-in with Trump, endorsing Joe Biden for president in 2020, though she has said she remains a registered Republican.

Soto said Hobbs’ decision to tap Jimmy McCain was not based on any belief he will have an easier time getting confirmed than Archuleta. But Soto also said the governor never got a full explanation from Petersen about the refusal to consider Archuleta’s nomination.

Neither Hobbs nor McCain mentioned any of his political history in the statement released Monday by the governor’s office.

“His long track record of public service and knowledge of the unique challenges and opportunities of northern Arizona make him well positioned to advocate for the students of the region,” the governor said in her prepared remarks. “With his deep Arizona roots and passion for serving the people of our state, I know he will be a tireless advocate for northern Arizona.”

McCain, in his own prepared comments, said he is “deeply honored” by the appointment.

“As the regent representing northern Arizona I am excited to help strengthen higher education across our state and ensure that students from every background, especially those in our tribal and rural communities, have access to the educational tools they need to succeed,” he said in his own prepared statement.

In a separate written statement, Doug Goodyear, who chairs the board, said McCain “brings a deep understanding of Arizona’s values and a strong record of public service to our nation.”

According to the governor’s office, McCain enlisted in the Marines at 17. After four years of active duty and two deployments, he received an honorable discharge in 2010.

Three years later he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Army as an intelligence officer.