Unbowed by Loss, McCain Fights for Moderate GOP

Senator fills leadership void with donations, endorsements, advice

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 2, 2009 7:26 AM CDT

(Newser) – Less than a year ago John McCain still hoped to be president, but the Arizona senator has a new mission now: reshaping the Republican Party around his own brand of moderate, pragmatic conservatism. While previous unsuccessful candidates for the top job have withdrawn after defeat, McCain is offering endorsements to center-right figures in primaries, raising money, and even hitting the campaign trail. "This is John's way of staying in the game," Sen. Lindsey Graham tells Politico.

Recently Rep. Mark Kirk, who's running for Barack Obama's old Illinois Senate seat, received encouragement from McCain and got his endorsement in the primary. Then McCain gave him far more: his donor database, advice from his strategist Steve Schmidt, and a cool $500,000 from a McCain-sponsored fundraiser. Kirk's delighted with his political godfather: "He told us that, with respect to my campaign for the Senate, what you need from us you will get."

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Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and actress January Jones meet on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, where Jones urged passage of the Shark Conservation Act of 2009. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, accompanied by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., center, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appears for an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week, in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/ABC News, Lauren Victoria Burke)

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John remains the titular head of the Republican Party and he will be until there’s a new nominee. Most of the people that ran and lost you never heard from again. He’s not going to be like Ed Muskie or Hubert Humphrey.
- John Weaver, GOP strategist

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Unbowed by Loss, McCain Fights for Moderate GOP