I’ve read multiple comments stating that Mark Kelly, US Senator from Arizona, can’t become Kamala Harris’s Vice President because we need every Senate seat currently held by Democrats and he has to stay where he is whether he wants to or not.
That is faulty thinking, and here’s why. Under Arizona law, the governor appoints a replacement when a US Senator steps down or dies. Who is Arizona governor? Why, it’s Democrat Katie Hobbs. And what are the rules regarding the replacement? They are:
- The replacement must be the same party as the former Senator, i.e. a Democrat
- The replacement’s appointment is good until the next general election, which is 2026
- In 2026, the seat becomes open for election to serve out the remaining 2 years of Kelly’s original term
Senator Kelly ran as a Democrat in the 2020 United States Senate special election in Arizona, aiming to unseat incumbent Republican Martha McSally, who was appointed by then-governor Republican Doug Ducey.
Kelly won. Then he won re-election for the open seat in the 2022 general election. His current term runs through January 2029.
Riddle me this: How do convicted felon Donald Trump and 1.5 year Senator J.D. Vance stack up against Kamala Harris and Kelly?
J.D. Vance was a combat correspondent for the Marines who served 6 months in Iraq. Mark Kelly was a US Navy pilot who flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm.
J.D. Vance has been a US Senator for 1.5 years. Mark Kelly has been a US Senator for 3.5 years.
J.D. Vance was a vulture capitalist prior to the Senate. Mark Kelly was a United States Astronaut.
And of course, Mark Kelly's wife is the wonderful Gabby Giffords who was seriously wounded by a deranged gunman while serving as a US Congresswoman.
Maybe there's a better candidate for Vice President than Mark Kelly out there somewhere. But keeping him in the Senate because of a faulty reason is just plain wrong. We won't lose a seat; we'll gain an excellent Vice President.
