The last few weeks have given the country a massive dose of perspective. From the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden’s stepping aside, politicians and voters have endured weeks of political turmoil.
Now, with the Democratic nomination in her sights, all eyes turn to Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate search.
Outside of finding a Republican like former Rep. Adam Kinzinger or an unaffiliated leader like Adm. William McRaven, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona is the best pick for the Democrats — especially if they want to attract incredibly important independent voters.
First off, Kelly is the only name being publicly floated with military experience. That is big.
First off, Kelly is a Navy combat pilot with significant military experience. That is big. Plus, he’s an astronaut, which means bipartisan respect and exciting star power (and cool stories). He’s more than prepared to be commander in chief if called upon. But despite his decades of leadership, Kelly isn’t a Washington insider.
Kelly is from Arizona, of course, and would bring a somewhat maverick spirit to the ticket in the style of fellow Arizonan John McCain. He is married to the universally beloved and politically experienced former Rep. Gabby Giffords. He’s a straight, white, tough man who can talk guns, abortion and the border, and he is moderate by modern Democratic Party standards — which is critical.
I’ve met Kelly; he’s the real deal as a human. He would be a powerful contrast to the sketchiness of Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. And both Vance and Trump would have a hard time landing blows against this American hero.
Overall (and perhaps most of all), Kelly is the closest to an independent or Republican option among the reported finalists. That may not make the more progressive wing of the party happy, but ultimately the trade-off should be worth it.
In 2020, Democrats did the right thing to win. They picked Biden over some of the more progressive options like Sen. Bernie Sanders and selected Harris for balance. She was a key part of a ticket that needed to mobilize and inspire.
This year is different. Many Democrats are already excited about Harris’ surprise top billing. Some Republicans are, too. But emotion isn’t enough. In June, before Biden stepped aside, polls showed that a quarter of Americans had unfavorable views of both candidates. In 2022, the majority of millennials and Gen Zers old enough to vote identified as independent — a significant antiestablishment rebellion that shows no signs of reversing. At the end of this month, Gallup reported that 41% of all respondents identified as “independent.” (Of these independent respondents, slightly more lean Republican than Democrat.)
Winning over these millions of independent-minded voters — especially in swing states — could very well determine the outcome of the election.
Winning over these millions of independent-minded voters — especially in swing states — could very well determine the outcome of the election. I didn’t think Harris was Democrats’ best option to replace Biden, especially in the context of an increasingly independent voting population. And she still has some very key weaknesses — namely a lack of military experience and high negatives with both independents and Republicans — that must be offset. More than any other option floated, Capt. Mark Kelly offsets those weaknesses. Harris is clearly getting Democrats excited. But adding Kelly would mean maybe they can win. Just maybe. 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.
Paul Rieckhoff
Paul Rieckhoff is the founder of Independent Veterans of America, the host of "Independent Americans," president of Righteous Media, the author of “Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq, A Soldier’s Perspective” and a frequent guest on MSNBC. 
