Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., will turn 80 years old before Election Day in 2016 but declared Monday night that his age will not stop him from running for a sixth term in the Senate.
McCain revealed that he will be running for re-election next year in an interview with Kelly O'Donnell of NBC News.
"I think I have the knowledge and the background to help this nation through very perilous times and I believe I can still contribute in many ways to the welfare and benefit of my state," McCain said.
He added, "Watch me. Take a look at my 18-hour days. Take a look at the hearings we have. Take a look at my legislative accomplishments. Listen, I'm just getting started."
McCain acknowledged that he could face a primary challenge from a Tea Party candidate but claimed his relations with Arizona Republicans have improved significantly since he was censured by the state GOP in 2014.
The Arizona Senator jokingly noted that he was also censured by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a distinction he has previously cited with pride.
"I have to convince the voters all over again," McCain said. "But I will stand on my record but more so, I will stand on what I can do for Arizona and the nation."
McCain, who currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been a frequent critic of President Barack Obama's foreign policy.
In the interview, McCain claimed he has never been more concerned about America's security due to Obama's "feckless leadership."
Potentially facing a number of tough Senate races, the National Republican Senatorial Committee quickly threw its support behind McCain's re-election bid.
"We are 100% behind John McCain's re-election campaign," NRSC spokesperson Andrea Bozek said, according to the Washington Post.
She added, "No one has fought more for our country than John McCain and we will do whatever it takes to ensure he keeps serving Arizona families."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee described McCain as the bitter, angry face of obstruction and partisanship in Washington and pledged to find a strong candidate to run against him.
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