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John McCain
U.S Senator, Arizona
Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, speaks to members of the media near the Senate subway in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harrer—Bloomberg via Getty Images
It has been nearly three decades since the U.S. last elected a President who saw combat in the military. That helps explain the enduring bipartisan appeal of McCain, the former Navy pilot and prisoner of war who just earned his sixth Senate term. McCain has become one of the nation’s most trusted voices on defense by being both a backer of a strong military and a cautionary voice against ill-advised conflicts. As chair of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, he’s uniquely positioned to help a new administration define what safety means.
