Sen. Mark Kelly has won reelection to a afloat six-year word successful Arizona, keeping the spot successful Democratic hands and beating backmost a situation from Republican Blake Masters.
Republicans had viewed the spot arsenic a pickup accidental fixed the flagging system and President Joe Biden’s debased support standing successful the plaything state. But now, Kelly’s triumph puts Democrats 1 spot distant from extending their Senate bulk for different 2 years. A triumph successful either of the 2 seats inactive up for grabs — Nevada oregon Georgia, wherever determination volition beryllium a runoff contention connected Dec. 6 — volition triumph the enclosure for Democrats.
Arizona has been cardinal to Democrats’ slim Senate majority. Biden narrowly won the authorities successful 2020, and Kelly led astir nationalist polls of the race. Kelly has besides tally up of the state’s Democratic nominee for governor, Katie Hobbs.
Abortion rights played a large relation successful Kelly’s campaign, particularly successful the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s determination overturning Roe v. Wade. Masters staked retired much blimpish positions connected termination during the Republican superior and past attempted to mean his stance during the runup to the wide election, a displacement that drew disapproval from Kelly. Masters responded by trying to overgarment Kelly arsenic excessively utmost connected the issue.
For his part, Masters tried to marque the predetermination a referendum connected Biden’s enactment and voters’ concerns astir ostentation and borderline security. In their sole statement together, Masters hitched Kelly to Biden’s borderline and economical policies, portion Kelly touted his independency from nationalist Democrats.
Former President Donald Trump staked immoderate of his ain governmental clout connected the result of the race. He endorsed Masters during the Republican superior and came to the authorities to enactment Masters and Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake. Masters had embraced immoderate of the erstwhile president’s rhetoric denying the results of the 2020 predetermination earlier changing people during the wide predetermination campaign.
Kelly besides developed an tremendous fundraising vantage implicit Masters, outraising him by millions of dollars for astir of the contention arsenic Democratic donors opened their wallets to support the seat. But extracurricular Republican groups helped Masters marque up the deficit.
Masters had been boosted during the Republican superior by his mentor, billionaire task capitalist Peter Thiel, who enactment $15 cardinal into a pro-Masters ace PAC. Masters bushed retired a crowded tract including Attorney General Mark Brnovich and businessman Jim Lamon. Thiel’s engagement had led to immoderate disputes with nationalist Republican groups implicit however to money the race.
Kelly, a erstwhile astronaut, archetypal won the spot successful a 2020 peculiar election, defeating then-Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) to service for the remaining 2 years of the precocious Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) term. He is joined to erstwhile Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was changeable successful the caput extracurricular a supermarket successful 2011 and is present an advocator for restrictions connected weapon ownership.
Kelly’s triumph could bolster Democrats’ hopes of keeping the state’s different seat, presently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. She is up for reelection successful 2024.
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