Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) has risen to near the top of the list of potential running mates as Vice President Harris considers who she wants to run alongside her.
Kelly received vetting materials as one of the few Democrats considered for the position. A veteran and former astronaut, Kelly brings a unique background compared to other possibilities being considered.
He also enjoys great popularity in his purple battleground state of Arizona, which could help decide the winner of the November election.
“I think you need someone who has a national ID card and has been tested to a certain extent, and I think [Kelly] brings that,” said Democratic strategist Matt Grodsky, former communications director for the state Democratic Party.
Democrats have expressed enthusiasm around Kelly since he first won his Senate seat in a 2020 special election to serve out the remainder of the late Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) term. He was then elected to a full term in the Senate in 2022.
In both cases, he won by a few points and performed better than President Biden in the state in 2020 and now-Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) in 2022.
Strategists and other observers said Kelly’s ability to perform well in a swing state demonstrates her political skill and could be transferred to other key states outside of Arizona.
Kelly served in the Navy and participated in dozens of missions in Operation Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War before being selected as a NASA astronaut, according to his biography on its Senate website. He traveled to space four times and retired in 2011.
Grodsky said Kelly’s background gives him a certain “legitimacy” to be able to speak on issues relating to the military, national defense and foreign policy that other options do not have and could bring additional crossover appeal to the ticket.
“This has appeal across all aisles, with moderate Republicans, independents, people who are more in the John McCain mold, which I think is crucial not just to getting votes in Arizona or swing states, but across the country,” he said .
Kelly dismissed the “veepstakes” speculation surrounding him, but did not rule out the possibility of serving as Harris’ running mate if he were offered the role.
“This is not about me. But whenever, whenever I’ve had the opportunity to serve, I think that’s very important,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Kelly has also drawn attention for criticizing Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), who is his Republican Party running mate, on several issues, including Vance’s. position about Ukraine and comments the Ohio senator made in 2021 that “babyless babes” ran the country.
Kelly is one of several Democratic names who have received attention about possibly joining Harris, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D).
Kelly received praise from some of his Senate colleagues. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) emphasized Kelly’s ability to attract voters outside of just Democrats in a key swing state.
“That’s a record you want, someone who has been able to show that ability to get votes, enthusiasm among Democrats, but also votes beyond that,” he said.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) said Kelly is an effective and capable senator whose “strong” record on national security would help improve Democrats’ chances in swing states, including Pennsylvania.
Both of Kelly’s electoral victories illustrated his ability to attract more voters to his coalition. He managed to flip populous Maricopa County in 2020, as did Biden that year, after the county had voted for Republican candidates for decades.
In 2022, Kelly was re-elected by almost 5 points, carrying two congressional districts that elected Republicans to the House.
Strategists said Kelly’s policy background explains his appeal.
Democratic consultant Adam Kinsey, former executive director of the Pima County Democratic Party in Arizona, said Kelly is in a “unique” position to be able to discuss the issue of border security as a senator who comes from a border state and has pushed for the immigration bill that Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed on.
For a brief period, it appeared the legislation had an opportunity to move forward, but after former President Trump spoke out against it as a “catastrophe waiting to happen,” it failed. Democrats seized on Trump’s opposition to the bill as evidence that Trump wants to run on immigration, a potential vulnerability for Democrats, more than resolve it.
“Mark is in a great position to put this out there, saying, ‘Look, I represent the border state down there. I’m very aware of what’s going on,’” Kinsey said. “And I think that really gives him, gives Democrats a kind of way to really have someone who is an expert on the situation speak with authority.”
Kelly also has a personal connection to political violence, an issue that gained renewed attention following the shooting at Trump’s rally earlier this month. Kelly’s wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), was shot in the head in 2011 in Tucson, an event that received widespread national attention.
Giffords and Kelly founded a nonprofit organization to support gun control measures shortly after the shooting, and Kelly has advocated for measures such as enhanced background checks and red flag laws. But he is also a gun owner and has sought to position himself as a supporter of the Second Amendment despite his calls for reform.
“There’s the narrative that Republicans often try to use against Democrats about ‘gun stealers,’” Kinsey said. “That’s not Senator Kelly. He’s not made of that type, but he’s very passionate about gun safety.”
At the same time, a potential downside could be that, if elected, Kelly would vacate his Senate seat, requiring the governor to name an interim replacement and a special election in 2026 that Republicans could win. This could be especially dangerous with Democrats already holding such a narrow majority in the Senate.
But he can still be considered the right choice for the current moment. Kelly was also particularly effective in raising large amounts of money, leading about $90 million during his 2022 campaign.
“If you have someone with, frankly, the gravitas, the legislative record of Mark Kelly, a really compelling story and the ability to raise money and take these guys on the other side, he seems like the best choice,” Kinsey said.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
