Senator Mark Kelly as possible Harris VP pick
July 25, 2024
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is being seen as one of the top contenders to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in November 2024. Kelly was a Navy pilot and NASA astronaut before being sworn in as Senator in Arizona in 2020.
There is talk about what this means for the state of Arizona if he is the VP candidate and wins in the upcoming election. Discussions about who will replace Kelly have also been occurring.
Ben Giles, a Senior Editor for KJZZ, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss more about what to expect.
“Speculation is the keyword,” Giles said. “We’re not hearing anything directly from Mark Kelly and his camp. Although he was caught at the Capitol today talking about whether it’s his military service or his decision to run for US Senate four years ago, Mark Kelly said, ‘I’ve been called to serve and I’ve always enjoyed stepping up when that time comes’ but I spoke with his political advisor earlier this week and they will neither confirm nor deny he’s in the running but that doesn’t stop speculation.”
Giles added that Kelly has a pretty compelling backstory as an Air Force fighter pilot, veteran and astronaut (which always campaigns well) and he has a compelling family backstory when it comes to his brush with gun violence.
This is in regard to a shooting over a decade ago involving his wife and former congresswoman Gabby Giffords. “That plays into some of the reasons he’s being vetted as a vice presidential nominee because he’s been so outspoken and because he has a personal tale to tell in regards to gun violence,” Giles said.
While there is discussion about having two senate members running together, the other potential vice presidential candidates are governors. Historically, Democrats have not picked governors to be vice presidents.
Mark Kelly has shown an ability to win tough campaigns in what is now a battleground state. He won the election to finish John McCain’s term in 2020 and won a full six-year term in 2022. While these were both close races, he proved himself up to the challenge.
If Mark Kelly is chosen as the VP nominee and the Harris/Kelly ticket wins in November, Kelly would have to resign before inauguration day which is January 20, 2025. It would then be up to Governor Katie Hobbs to appoint a Democrat to replace him. There has been about a decade streak of U.S. Senate races in Arizona every two years.