Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is stepping up his efforts to become the wingman of newly elected Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
And the former astronaut and Marine veteran’s military and scientific credentials just earned him a shiny new endorsement from the 314 Action Fund, a grassroots organization that elects STEM professionals who want to work on climate change and health care.
“He uses facts, science and data to make informed policy decisions,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action Fund. “He can simultaneously motivate the grassroots, win over swing voters and have a lasting impact on this campaign, and we are proud to stand with him.”
The fund’s support comes just three days after Kelly flaunted his macho attitude as a Navy pilot in a not-so-subtle pitch for his vice presidential candidacy for Harris’ campaign.
My first flight went, literally, about as well as change in the cockpit.
My last flight brought my crew home from @Spacestation and was the last flight of the space shuttle Endeavour.
It’s not how good you are at the beginning that matters, but how well you try yourself. pic.twitter.com/XV6FDUVmpI
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) July 23, 2024
The field for Harris’ running mate is extraordinarily crowded, with Democrats across the country vying for appearances on major television and radio networks to demonstrate their ability to bolster the vice president’s campaign.
Other well-known Democrats campaigning for Harris on the radio include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.
Kelly is currently the only member of Congress being seriously considered as a Democratic candidate.
Mark Kelly shows his tough side in audition for Harris’ vice presidential candidate
He also faces other difficult battles. He is a swing-state senator and could hand his congressional seat to the Republicans by being nominated as Harris’s running mate in a special election.
Kelly also drew the ire of a group of major unions and progressives wary of his past opposition to the PRO ACT, a bill that would make it easier to form and organize unions. On Tuesday, he reversed his position on the bill when it became clear that his reticence could hurt his position as the vice presidential favorite.
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