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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 13 February 2019

Ex-astronaut Mark Kelly makes Democratic bid for Senate seat

day he will run to finish John Arizonans value indepen- wounded in a mass shoot-
McCain's last term in the dence." ing on Jan. 8, 2011. The
U.S. Senate. If Kelly is nominated the shooting at a Giffords
If he wins the Democratic race would pit the Navy meet-and-greet event in
nomination, Kelly would veteran and astronaut Tucson left six dead and 13
take on Republican Martha against McSally, a trailblaz- injured.
McSally in what is expect- ing Air Force pilot, in the Giffords played a promi-
ed to be one of the most contest to replace Mc- nent role in the four-minute
closely contested Senate Cain, a legendary Navy video Tuesday launching
races of the 2020 election. flyer who was famously shot Kelly's campaign.
Kelly described himself as down and held captive in "I thought then that I had
an independent-minded North Vietnam. the risky job," Kelly says to
centrist who will take a McSally is a former Repub- Giffords. "Turned out, you
scientist's data-driven ap- lican congresswoman who were the one that had the
proach to solving problems was appointed to McCain's risky job."
such as climate change, seat after she narrowly lost Kelly told the AP Giffords,
wage stagnation and to Democrat Kyrsten Sine- who has been a rising
In this Oct. 2, 2017, file photo former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords,
D-Ariz., right, listens as her husband Mark Kelly, left, speaks on health care affordability. ma last November in the Democratic star before the
Capitol Hill in Washington. "You see a lot of partisan- race for outgoing Repub- shooting, will join him fre-
Associated Press ship in Washington and a lican Jeff Flake's seat. Mc- quently during campaign
lot of polarization, and to Sally leaned heavily on her appearances.
By JONATHAN J. COOPER control advocate after his some extent we've cre- record as the first woman Republican Gov. Doug
Associated Press wife, former U.S. Rep. Ga- ated that," Kelly told The to fly a combat mission, Ducey appointed McSally
PHOENIX (AP) — Retired brielle Giffords, was shot in Associated Press. "It's go- but she was hurt by her em- to the vacant Senate seat
astronaut Mark Kelly, who a failed assassination at- ing to take people who are brace of President Donald after his first appointee, for-
became a prominent gun- tempt, announced Tues- more independent to fix it. Trump. mer Sen. Jon Kyl, resigned
The 2020 election will de- after only a few months in
cide who finishes the last office.
two years of McCain's term. Arizona has been a long-
The winner would have to standing Republican
run again for a full six-year stronghold, but a growing
term in 2022. Latino population and frus-
Democrats are eagerly tration among women with
watching the Arizona con- Trump have helped Demo-
test, having already de- crats make inroads.
feated McSally. The party U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego of
is also gauging whether Ari- Phoenix is also considering
zona could be competitive a Senate run that would
at the presidential level in likely position him to Kelly's
2020, where Trump won in left politically.
2016. "I've made no secret of the
Kelly has never held elect- fact that I'm looking seri-
ed office. He flew combat ously at running for the U.S.
missions during the first Gulf Senate in 2020, and that
War before becoming an hasn't changed," Gallego
astronaut along with his said on Twitter following
twin brother, Scott Kelly. Kelly's announcement. "I'll
He flew four space missions be making a final decision
over 10 years and com- and announcement soon."
manded the Space Shuttle Former Attorney General
Endeavor in 2011. Grant Woods, a lifelong Re-
Kelly and Giffords have publican who became a
pushed Congress to enact Democrat and a fierce crit-
gun control measures with ic of Trump, said last week
little success. They shifted he will not run for the seat.
their focus to state legisla- McCain, a legendary and
tures in recent years, help- beloved Arizona politician,
ing to strengthen back- died last year from an ag-
ground checks and domes- gressive form of brain can-
tic violence protections. cer after more than three
Giffords was severely decades in the Senate.q