Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is a lot of great things. He is an astronaut and a Navy combat pilot. His parents were police officers, and his wife, Gabby Giffords, was a congresswoman severely injured by a mass shooter. Kelly is a gun owner and Second Amendment supporter who has long campaigned for reasonable gun control. He is a Democrat who somehow won not one but two statewide races for U.S. Senate in 2020 and 2022 in Arizona, where — until Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 — no Democrat had held a Senate seat for 30 years.
His résumé is impeccable, and he is likable. That’s why Kelly is now among the front–runners to be selected by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate.
He is successful by being middle of the road and quiet — which is perfect for a Democrat in Arizona but not for the Democratic VP candidate campaigning around the U.S.
But picking Kelly as her vice presidential running mate would be a mistake.
Kelly does not bring fire to the campaign trail. He would not fill the “attack dog” position the VP candidate traditionally holds. Kelly barely speaks to the media or the people. He is successful by being middle of the road and quiet — which is perfect for a Democrat in Arizona but not for the Democratic VP candidate campaigning around the U.S.
Kelly’s political success is based on a now-proven playbook for Democrats in Arizona. Run to the center, appeal to independents (approximately one-third of Arizona voters) and moderates, debate as infrequently as possible, limit public speaking, keep a low profile with the media, raise money and run ads. Kelly follows this playbook perfectly, and it has worked well for him. But it would not work for him as the VP candidate.
For all of his credibility, experience and substance, Kelly lacks the political charisma and fire necessary to run for national office. Even his biggest supporters acknowledge privately that Kelly is not a great orator or debater. No one attends a Mark Kelly speech or event and walks away talking about his passion or persuasiveness.
He is extremely accomplished, a proven leader able to handle the intense stress of combat and commanding two space flights. He probably would be a solid vice president, but he would not help Kamala Harris win the presidency.
Harris needs a partner in this race who can bring people to their feet. Who can excite Democrats around the country. Who can publicly push back with power and clarity when Donald Trump or JD Vance make outlandish claims — or outright lie. Kelly is not that guy.
There are barely more than 100 days to the election and a lot to overcome. This fight requires two strong retail politicians. Kelly’s political skills are moderation and discipline, but those skills are not what is needed in a fast-paced national campaign against Trump’s lies, attacks and threats.
Mark Kelly is a great man and a great senator, but he is not the person for this moment.
Can Kelly transform himself into an aggressive politician? Perhaps he has suppressed that part of him in his two Senate races. Maybe he could, indeed, be the political attack dog needed at this moment. He is a combat pilot, after all.
But at what cost? Kelly brings substance and the ability to work across the aisle, but he would endanger the credibility and reputation he has built in Arizona as a moderate centrist Democrat that paves his way to Senate wins. And he would put his next Senate election at risk if a Harris-Kelly ticket loses. If they do win the White House, Arizona loses a proven Democratic winner important to Senate balance with no guarantee of holding the seat. Winning would allow Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to appoint his replacement in 2025, but a new election would be held in 2026 (rather than 2028) — with no guarantee that Kelly’s successor would enjoy the same support among independents and even moderate Republicans necessary to win in Arizona. There are other great options for a running mate, including several governors who are great orators comfortable with political sparring, without the threat of giving up a Democratic-held seat in a swing state. Mark Kelly is a great man and a great senator, but he is not the person for this moment. A fast, grueling campaign against Trump and Vance requires a different set of skills. Harris would be well served by looking elsewhere. Kamala Harris must soon pick a running mate — one of the first major decisions of her 2024 presidential campaign. As part of our series on some of the top contenders, read the case for Andy Beshear here and the case for Josh Shapiro here.
Barry Markson
Barry Markson is an attorney, mediator and longtime radio talk show host on 92.3 KTAR News in Phoenix, where he is also the chief legal analyst. He was recently named "Best Political Twitter" in Arizona by the Phoenix New Times. You can follow him on X: @BarryMarkson1. 
