Senator Kelly is a pragmatic Democrat who delivers for Arizona. Kelly is “an independent leader who cuts through political noise to deliver real results for Arizonans, like lowering costs at the grocery store and gas pump” and “creating good-paying Arizona jobs. . . .”
Kelly has raised substantial money (more than $55 million so far), and the grassroots support of Mission for Arizona, an ally of Together We Elect, is boosting his chances. Still, the first-term senator’s race is rated a tossup, and the GOP is targeting him heavily.
His opponent is none other than the militant, election-denier Blake Masters who is being backed by mega-donor Peter Thiel. When describing that pair, Steve Bannon himself said: “People thought Trump was a disrupter. They [have] no earthly idea.” What’s that old phrase? When Keith Richards tells you you are doing too many drugs . . . .
HIS BACKGROUND
Captain Mark Kelly is a retired U.S. Navy combat pilot, engineer, and NASA astronaut. He lives in Tucson with his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who retired after nearly losing her life in an assassination attempt. As a naval aviator, Kelly made two deployments to the First Gulf War and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. He was selected as an astronaut in 1996 with his identical twin brother, Scott. During the course of his service for NASA, Kelly spent more than 50 days in space and lived on the International Space Station
After leaving NASA, Kelly joined his wife in founding Americans for Responsible Solutions whose mission is to promote solutions to gun violence with elected officials and the general public. In January 2013, in the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Kelly and Giffords co-founded the organization ‘GIFFORDS,’ which unites veterans, law enforcement officials, gun owners, faith leaders, and Americans of all stripes to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer.
ON THE ISSUES
Sen. Mark Kelly is strong supporter of a woman’s right to choose. In reflecting on the Dobbs decision, he said, “Today’s decision is a giant step backward for our country . . . . This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. I am resolved to defend and protect the right of Arizona women to make their own health care decisions.”
Kelly and his wife, Gabby Giffords, have been leaders on the issue of gun safety. Specifically Kelly says he will keep kids and communities safer by working to pass universal background checks, to keep guns out of the hands of stalkers and domestic abusers, and reduce mass shootings and suicides by allowing families and law enforcement to ensure dangerous individuals and people in crisis don’t have access to firearms. He recently voted for the bi-partisan gun bill.
Kelly believes that left unchecked, climate change poses a threat to Arizona’s economy and our way of life. Kelly has seen the planet change from space and wanting to stop that and protect our planet is part of what inspired him to run for Senate. He voted for the Anti Inflation Act, which includes a record $350 billion in new spending on climate change.
