Voters may have deja-vu in Arizona on Friday. Former Alaska Governor and Fox News contributor Sarah Palin is expected to share the stage with her former running mate from 2008 in an effort to put the spotlight on Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign to the United States Senate.
McCain is being challenged in the Republican primary by former Congressman and radio talk show host, JD Hayworth, who has a conservative following in Arizona. A recent Rasmussen poll shows Hayworth behind McCain by just seven points, a substantial gain from a previous poll.
McCain says that while he is confident, he will fight for every vote.
Political experts believe Palin, who is popular with Tea Party groups, could help McCain win over the most conservative members in his party.
Hayworth points to a Facebook page, Sarah Palin Supporters for JD, as proof that he has the edge on the Tea Party vote and has high hopes that he will be sharing the stage with Palin after the primary.
However, leaders of four of the largest Tea Party organizations in Arizona put out a joint press release earlier this month pledging neutrality in the primary.
Lindsay Stewart contributed to this report.