Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly

Democratic Incumbent

Mark Kelly is the Democratic U.S. senator from Arizona and a former Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut. He was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and is seeking reelection in 2026, emphasizing bipartisan governing, Arizona infrastructure, and cost-of-living issues.

Positions on Key Issues

Healthcare

high

Kelly says he supports lowering health care costs by protecting ACA subsidies, preserving Medicare drug-price negotiation, banning surprise medical billing, and capping out-of-pocket costs for seniors.

Economy

high

Kelly says he wants to lower costs, strengthen domestic microchip manufacturing, support infrastructure and job training, and help Arizona families and small businesses recover economically.

Climate/Energy

high

Kelly says he supports fighting climate change with science-based policy, expanding renewable energy, and addressing drought, heat, and wildfires in Arizona. His campaign also says he has backed efforts to strengthen energy independence and lower energy costs.

Abortion & Reproductive Health

high

Kelly says he supports protecting abortion rights and codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law. His campaign says women, not politicians, should make abortion decisions.

Immigration

high

Kelly says he supports bipartisan immigration reform that increases border staffing and technology, modernizes ports of entry, protects Dreamers, and creates an earned pathway to citizenship for long-term undocumented immigrants.

Firearms & Second Amendment

high

Kelly says he supports gun-violence prevention measures, including the GOSAFE Act, which would regulate certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines while preserving rights for responsible gun owners.

Foreign Policy

medium

Kelly’s public profile emphasizes military readiness, support for U.S. alliances, and national security. His Senate biography highlights his Navy service and work on defense and intelligence issues rather than a detailed standalone foreign-policy platform.

Civil Rights & Equality

high

Kelly says he supports civil rights and due process protections in the context of immigration and opposes wrongful targeting of DACA recipients. His public statements also frame Dreamers and long-term immigrants as deserving protection and a pathway to legal status.

Education

high

Kelly says he supports public education and opposes federal private school voucher programs. He has backed legislation to repeal the federal voucher program and keep public funds in public schools.

Tech & AI

high

Kelly has called for worker-centered AI policy, including labor involvement in federal AI rules and guardrails for AI deployment. He has also released an AI roadmap that says AI growth should be paired with training and infrastructure investments.

Election Policy

high

Kelly says he supports expanding voting access and election security, including protecting vote-by-mail, making Election Day a federal holiday, banning partisan gerrymandering, and increasing election security.

Local Issues

high

Kelly says he prioritizes Arizona-specific issues including water security, drought resilience, infrastructure modernization, border security, and job creation. His campaign highlights water systems, roads, bridges, broadband, and ports of entry as key local priorities.

Background

Career History

United States Senator 2020 – Present
U.S. Senate

Represents Arizona in the U.S. Senate.

NASA astronaut 1996 – 2011
NASA

Served as an astronaut and flew multiple shuttle missions.

U.S. Navy captain and combat pilot 1987 – 2011
U.S. Navy

Served as a Navy pilot, including combat missions and test pilot duties.

Education

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy B.S. in marine engineering and nautical science (1986)
University of Arizona M.S. in aeronautical engineering (1994)
U.S. Naval Postgraduate School M.S. in aeronautical engineering

Top Donors

OpenSecrets shows Mark Kelly’s 2024 Senate committee raised about $5.35M in reported payments, and news coverage in 2026 reported a new fundraising surge of about $12.9M, with one report saying 100% came from individual donors. OpenSecrets’ donor pages indicate support from sectors including agribusiness and communications/electronics, while his committee also drew PAC money from organizations such as the Republican Jewish Coalition and industry-linked donors; see OpenSecrets and FEC for full itemized data.

View full campaign finance data →

Voting Record

Mark Kelly is an incumbent U.S. senator, so he has a legislative voting record. GovTrack reports he has served since Dec. 2, 2020 and missed 89 of 2,439 roll call votes through April 2026; his Senate record and outside scorecards show alignment with the Democratic caucus on most major votes, including support for the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act and other Democratic priorities.

View full voting record →

Data Analysis Information

Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 4/29/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.

© 2026 Smarter.vote. Analyzing public information to help voters make informed decisions.

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