WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- U. S. Sen. John McCain, criticized for missing votes regularly while campaigning for president, has greatly improved his record in 2009, an analysis shows.
While campaigning in 2007-2008, McCain, R-Ariz., missed more votes than any senator, but has missed only nine roll-call votes in 2009, the analysis by The Arizona Republic indicated.
This year, McCain has cast 344 votes, compared with 237 in the previous two years combined. During the 2007-2008 sessions of Congress, McCain missed 420 votes, the newspaper said.
McCain says he will seek a fifth term next year and doesn't think Arizona voters will hold his campaign-period absenteeism against him.
"I've not had anyone say a word to me about it," McCain said.
But political scientist Larry Sabato says it could be an issue.
"If he gets a strong challenge in the Republican primary, inevitably, the candidate will use that against him," Sabato said. "The ads write themselves: 'If you didn't turn up at your job 60 percent of the time, would your employer keep you on? Of course not, but John McCain expects us to rehire him.' "
