JOHN MCCAIN IS DEAD - POLITICAL BATTLE FOR HIS SEAT BEGINS BEFORE HE IS BURIED

JOHN MCCAIN IS DEAD - POLITICAL BATTLE FOR HIS SEAT BEGINS BEFORE HE IS EVEN BURIED:

AUGUST 29, 1936 - AUGUST 25, 2018

MCCAIN LEFT BEHIND MIXED POLITICAL LEGACY, HOWEVER HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE AND STILL HONORED FOR HIS U.S. MILITARY SERVICE.

I SEND MY PRAYERS AND CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY.


Post Sources: ABC News, BBC News, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, Youtube


****** John McCain's death means potential legal battle to fill his Senate seat


With the news that Arizona Senator John McCainhas passed away due to complications from brain cancer, the speculation over who will succeed him in the position he has held since 1987 has begun in earnest.

The timing of McCain’s death results in a complicated process that could end up in a court battle in a state that will be key to determining the balance of power in the U.S. Senate this midterm cycle.

According to Arizona state law, the governor appoints a replacement for any vacancy in a U.S. Senate seat who will hold it until the "next eligible general election."

That person must belong to the same political party of the person who held the seat.

That means Doug Ducey, Arizona's Republican governor, would appoint a Republican to fill McCain's seat until the next general election or until the governor decided to call a special election.

However, the most relevant piece of election code in this situation is that the candidate filing deadline for the election cannot be fewer than 90 days before a primary for that special election.

The State of Arizona Election Procedures Manualstipulates that the vacancy "must occur sufficiently before" that deadline to gather signatures to get on the primary ballot.

Since the Arizona primaries will be held this Tuesday, the filing deadline for candidates would have had to have been May 30 for a special election to comply with state law.

So even though the next general election in Arizona is in November, the timing of McCain’s passing likely ensures that whomever Ducey appoints to replace him will serve until 2020, the next general election year.

Matt Roberts, the communications director for the Arizona Secretary of State, confirmed to ABC News that under state election regulations, Ducey can appoint a replacement that will serve in McCain’s seat until 2020.

Democrats could challenge that relevant portion of state election guidance to try and force a special election in 2018, which would put both of the state's Senate seats up this cycle since retiring Sen. Jeff Flake's seat is also up.

When asked about potential plans to pursue legal action to force a special election in 2018, a spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party declined to comment on the subject, instead telling ABC News, "John McCain is an American hero and our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time."

A special election this year would force Republicans to defend two Senate seats this cycle in a state Donald Trump won by just four percentage points in the 2016 presidential election.

U.S. NAVY Helicopter Crash Off VIRGINIA Coast Kills 1 One Crewmember (PRAY For U.S. Military)

#NAVY

One Crewman has been confirmed DEAD after a NAVY Helicopter recently crashed off the coast of VIRGINIA.

Another U.S. NAVY Aircraft crashed in the U.K. on Tuesday.

These type of Incidents are reasons why We must continue to PRAY for All U.S. Military Servicemembers.




ARTICLE: "1 Dead, 1 Missing After U.S. Navy Helicopter Crash Off Virginia Coast"


The U.S. Navy said that one person died after the MH-53E Sea Dragon went down off the coast of Norfolk, Va., Wednesday. Three are being evaluated and rescue workers are still looking for the fifth.

One crew member has been confirmed dead after a U.S. Navy helicopter crashed off the Virginia Beach coast, about 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Three other crewmembers are still being evaluated at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital but there conditions are not known at this time.

Rescue workers are still looking for the fifth and final crewmember.

The Navy confirmed that the helicopter is a MH-53E Sea Dragon, which has two missions: transporting heavy equipment to and from ships and airborne mine hunting.

The Navy initially thought the helicopter is question was the similar CH-53E Super Stallion, which is also used for delivering equipment. Both helicopters are 99 feet long and stand 28 feet, 4 inches tall. They can also reach up to 172 mph.

The MH-53E is assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen, which is based at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, the Navy confirmed in a release.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the accident.

The search and rescue mission is using the Coast Guard cutter Shearwater and two MH-60S helicopters.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine took to Twitter to say that he is "Praying for a swift and safe rescue".

Just Tuesday evening, another U.S. military helicopter, a Pave Hawk for the U.S. Army, went down at Cley-next-the-Sea on the east coast of Britain in the English county of Norfolk. That is about 130 miles northeast of London.

All four crew on board died when the Pave Hawk crashed in marshland during a low-level training mission.


Sources: AP, NY Daily News, U.S. NAVY