Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain prevailed Tuesday against his Republican primary challenger setting up the hawkish national security stalwart for a tough general election fight.

In the Arizona GOP primary, McCain held a 20-point lead against former state legislator Kelli Ward in early returns, according to the Associated Press. Ward had assailed McCain for being too willing to compromise with Democrats and for his age. He turned 80 Monday. 

The victory buoys a key figure in U.S. national security in his fight for a sixth term against well-funded Democratic challenger Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. He leads in polls against her.

Both sides have associated their rival with their party's presidential candidate. Kirkpatrick has attacked McCain's support for the polarizing Donald Trump as proof he is no longer the political maverick who won the GOP's presidential nomination in in 2008. McCain's campaign has associated Kirkpatrick with the scandal-plagued Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

In an appearance on AZ Central ahead of the results, Republican strategist and McCain supporter Jaime Molera said local opposition to McCain was fueled by a party split over how to handle illegal immigration. Yet McCain's positives include "100 percent name recognition," a strong organization and backing from the state's party establishment.

"It's difficult to say he's not one of us, when you have all the Republican leaders saying of course he is," Molera said.

Email:  jgould@defensenews.com 

Twitter:  @ReporterJoe

Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.

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