John McCain 2000 Presidential Campaign (President McCain)

John McCain, the United States Senator from Arizona, launched his first candidacy for the presidency of the United States in the 2000 presidential election.

Announcing his run for the Republican Party nomination in March 1999, McCain was the main challenger to Texas Governor George W. Bush, who had the political and financial support of most of the party establishment. McCain staged an upset win in the February 2000 New Hampshire primary, capitalizing on a message of political reform and "straight talk" that appealed to moderate Republican and independent voters and to the press. McCain's momentum snowballed when he won the South Carolina primary later that month, in a contest that became famous for its bitter nature and an underground smear campaign run against McCain.

Following his upset McCain won subsequent primaries, after the March 2000 Super Tuesday contests he was well ahead in delegates and following Bush's dropping out was the presumptive nominee. He grudgingly chose Bush two months later as his running mate for the general election.