Mark Kelly ‘Stand Out’ as Kamala Harris Closes in on VP Pick

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly has several qualities and beliefs that make him the best candidate to be named as Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate, analysts say. Newsweek.

Francisco Pedraza, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s School of Politics and Global Studies, said Kelly “stands out” above other potential vice presidential candidates. The senator’s background in the military and as an astronaut will appeal to voters, as will his popularity in key swing states.

Kelly is a moderate Democrat who was first elected as Arizona’s senator in 2020. He was immediately named as Harris’ running mate after the vice president replaced Joe Biden as the presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee when the president ended his re-election campaign on Sunday.

Reports say Kelly was asked to submit personal information as part of the vice presidential vetting process, along with several other names considered to be on the 2024 Democratic ticket such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

Pedraza said Kelly, who was born and raised in New Jersey and has also lived in Texas, has the ability to expand the appeal of the Democratic presidential ticket if she is chosen as Harris’ running mate.

“As a matter of Electoral College strategy, Kelly stands out because of his ties to New Jersey, Texas, and, of course, Arizona,” Pedraza said. Newsweek.

“He can make a credible claim to call each of these countries home.

Pedraza also said Kelly could also appeal to key Latino demographics, noting an October 2022 survey from ASU’s Center for Latina/os and American Political Research (CLAPR) showed Kelly had a 60 percent approval rating among Latino voters in the state.

Kelly could even provide a major boost to appeal to voters who disagree with Democratic policies on hot-topic issues such as immigration or the environment.

Harris was personally tasked by Biden to try to control the surge of migrants crossing the southern border and the administration’s response to immigration issues after he enters the White House in January 2021.

However, Biden’s time in office has been marred by the number of illegal migrant crossings at the US/Mexico border.

Harris’s record on immigration has been used as an attack line by the GOP. Trump recently described the vice president in a Truth Social post as “Biden-appointed ‘Border Czar’ who has never visited the Border, and who is incapable of delivering the worst and most dangerous border” in the world.

“Kelly’s politics are moderate to center-left. The GOP will try to paint him as a radical left,” Pedraza said.

“For example, Kelly has expressed criticism of Biden’s strategy on immigration, favoring increased border security. And, while he generally wants to act to address climate warming and reduce the number of people without health insurance, he opposes the ‘Green New Deal’ and proposals- proposals to expand access to Medicare.

“Kelly’s moderate politics could help him win over a large segment of voters who identify as Democrats and independents,” Pedraza added.

Like Harris, who previously worked as a lawyer and California attorney general, Kelly can also tout pro-law enforcement credentials, as he is the son of two police officers.

Another positive for Kelly is that she has beaten MAGA candidates before.

In November 2022, he won re-election to the Arizona senate after defeating Trump-endorsed Blake Masters in the midterms.

Kelly’s office has been contacted for comment by email.

The Arizona senator, who has endorsed Harris in the 2024 election, has so far avoided questions about his potential candidacy as a running mate.

“It’s not about me,” Kelly told ABC News on Tuesday. “I will focus on doing everything possible to ensure that he is elected because we cannot repeat what we saw between 2016 and 2020.”