John McCain is calling in former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on Friday.

A former lawmaker whose single term in office was marred by allegations that he faked a Naval Reserve deployment to the war-torn Balkans has qualified for the ballot in the governor’s race.

Arizona Sen. John McCain plans to launch new radio and television ads Thursday that blast his primary opponent for supporting special funding requests known as earmarks, his campaign said.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is seeking more than $73 million in congressional earmarks for various projects in Congressional District 8.