Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) gave the clearest indication that proponents of comprehensive immigration reform may make their final--and strongest--push to get legislation passed next year after House Republicans make it through their primaries.

“I think conventional wisdom is that time is not on our side,” McCain told reporters on Monday after an event in Chicago. “But there are a number of members of Congress who have primaries and when those primaries are done, they may be more inclined to address the issue of comprehensive immigration reform.”

In 2010, McCain made a right turn on immigration, infamously promising to "complete the danged fence" as he was fighting for his political life to win re-election in Arizona. Shortly after he got elected to serve another term, McCain quickly lurched back to the left, becoming a champion for comprehensive immigration reform and calling Tea Partiers whose support he needed in 2010 "hobbits" and "wacko birds."