Hayworth suggests McCain would be worse than Obama

John McCain’s Republican primary challenger suggests the country would be worse off had McCain won the 2008 presidential election.

Former congressman J.D. Hayworth has been arguing that McCain isn’t conservative enough.

Responding to a question at a Phoenix tea party meeting Monday, Hayworth says he doesn’t like President Barack Obama, but a moderate Republican would be even worse than the Democrat.

Referring to the Arizona senator, Hayworth says: “I think the last thing we needed was a progressive trying to wear a Republican cloth coat as president of the United States.”

In a statement Tuesday, Hayworth says he voted for McCain in 2008 but won’t “make that mistake” in the Aug. 24 primary.

A McCain spokesman says “Hayworth has clearly lost it.”