Who is Mark Kelly? What to know about the Arizona Senator on Kamala Harris' VP list
In a whirlwind 10 days after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection after all, Vice President Kamala Harris has gathered support from the Democratic party, raised more than $200 million, and started vetting several potential running mates.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is one Democrat still reportedly being considered as Harris' VP candidate.
Kelly largely stayed off of television after Biden's announcement, unlike other contenders Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who have appeared in back-to-back viral TV clips touting Harris' potential as president.
But compared to some others in the running, he brings at-home experience with one of Republicans' biggest talkers: immigration.
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Who is Mark Kelly?
A former astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, Kelly's political career began a few years ago when he ran to fill a seat held by former Arizona Sen. John McCain, who died from brain cancer in 2018. Kelly flipped the previously Republican seat in the 2020 special election to serve out the remaining two years of McCain's six-year term and won reelection in 2022 for a full term.
Kelly has been a centrist voice in Congress, criticizing the Biden Administration for its handling of immigration at the Southern border in 2022. Due to his background in science, he also helped shape the CHIPS and Science Act.
In 2022, Kelly campaigned heavily in support of abortion access, which has since become a prominent issue for voters in the state after the Arizona Supreme Court's reimplementation of a Civil War-era abortion law sparked a tug-of-war of political action and heated debate in the state.
After Harris announced she is seeking the Democratic nomination Sunday, Kelly was quick to endorse her, which contributed to the rumblings that he was a potential VP pick.
What did Kelly do before serving in Congress?
Before he was elected to Congress, Kelly, who grew up in West Orange, N.J., served in the U.S. Navy as a fighter pilot. In 1996, NASA accepted Mark and his identical twin brother, Scott, as space shuttle pilots. Kelly went on to fly four space shuttle missions.
In 2007, Kelly married former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who suffered a head injury in a 2011 mass shooting. Since then, Kelly has been a spokesman for gun-control reform. He completed his final space shuttle mission in 2011 and announced his NASA retirement shortly after, citing his wife's health needs.
Who else is being considered for Harris' VP?
In addition to Kelly, at least four contenders have received vetting materials for vice president, and two more remain under consideration, USA TODAY previously reported.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper withdrew himself from consideration and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she plans to remain in her position through her term.
Contributing: Elizabeth Beyer
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Mark Kelly? What to know about potential VP pick for Harris
