Meet the Candidate: U.S. Senate - Arizona
Editor’s Note: Election Day is Nov. 3. There are several candidates running for office, including Mark Kelly and Martha McSally, who are running for U.S. Senate-Arizona. McSally did not respond to this Q&A. These stories are part of an ongoing Yuma Sun series called “Meet the Candidates.”
Name: Mark Kelly
Age: 56
Office running for: U.S. Senate – Arizona
Political experience: N/A
Family: I am married to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, and I have two daughters.
Please describe your platform.
I’m running for the United States Senate because Washington is broken and Arizonans deserve independent leadership, not a Republican Senator or Democrat Senator, but an Arizona Senator who is focused on solving the problems we face. We have to lower the cost of prescription drugs and defend protections for Arizonans with pre-existing conditions. We have to rebuild our economy, and also bring it into the future by preparing Arizonans with the skills they need for high-paying careers. And we have to do those things while protecting Medicare and Social Security benefits that seniors have earned. This pandemic has pushed our health care system to the brink, and it has devastated our economy. I think all of us feel much less certain about what the future looks like. We deserve leaders who can show us the path forward and work in an independent way to get things done for Arizonans.
What is your background? What in your past experiences helps qualify you for this seat?
I’m not a politician, this is my first run for public office. My previous experience is as a combat pilot, test pilot, and then an astronaut. I bring a different set of experiences to the table than most in Washington. Seeing the challenges that we face as a state and a country, I know I can put these experiences to use to make a difference in the lives of people here in Arizona. Through 25 years in the Navy and at NASA, I learned how to solve really tough problems, and I also learned to get along with and lead people from different backgrounds and different opinions in service of a greater mission. When you’re orbiting the Earth at 25 times the speed of sound and bad stuff starts to happen, you solve problems as a team, and can’t dismiss ideas based on the politics of the person offering them.
If elected, what is your first priority?
My top priority would be getting Arizona what it needs to get through this crisis and emerge stronger. This has been challenging time, especially for those who have lost a loved one, gotten sick or had a family member get sick, lost a job, or struggled to keep their business afloat. I’ve spoken with Arizonans who have faced the impossible decision of whether to pay rent, put food on the table, or fill their prescription medications – all because of dysfunction and indifference in Washington. We have to get Arizonans covered with health insurance they can afford so they can get the care they need. We have to have the backs of businesses that are struggling to keep the doors open and keep Arizonans employed. And we have to ensure Washington doesn’t use this crisis as an excuse to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits.
What sets you apart from your opponent(s)?
I’ll always put what’s right for Arizona and the country above any political party. It’s why my campaign isn’t taking corporate PAC money, so you know that I’m only accountable to you, not a big corporation. I’m running for Senate to be an independent voice for Arizona who will work with anyone to solve the challenges we face. That’s not what we’ve seen from my opponent, who has put her political party first. She voted repeatedly to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions, and then hasn’t been honest with Arizonans about those votes. I will always defend protections for pre-existing conditions. And during this pandemic, when Arizona needed independent leadership, informed by science and data, my opponent was too worried about politics, downplayed risks to Arizonans and had nothing but praise for a failed response. Our state needs a Senator who will put Arizona first.
What do you think is the biggest challenge right now facing Yumans?
The public health crisis has spawned an economic crisis that is hitting working families the hardest. When I visited Yuma last year, prior to the pandemic, I listened as Yumans talked with me about the importance of trade, agriculture, and small businesses to the economy. I also visited Yuma Proving Ground and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma to learn about their missions, and to better understand how they support Yuma’s economy. Many small business owners are still struggling. First, they faced trouble accessing the federal relief they needed to keep their doors open and employees on the payroll. Then, the pandemic got worse, and there was not enough help from Washington for many of them to stay afloat. This has also led to hundreds of thousands of Arizonans losing their jobs through no fault of their own and struggling to get by after Congress let the expanded unemployment benefits expire.
What would you do, if elected, to help change that?
To rebuild the economy for the future we have to protect MCAS Yuma and the Yuma Proving Ground and the jobs they support in the Yuma area, and also work to get the key economic drivers of agriculture and small businesses back on track. Increasing access to capital through loans and grants will allow more small businesses to survive and emerge to provide good-paying jobs. We also need to make investments that will create the jobs of the future, including in science and technology, renewable energy, and then the skills and technical training that Arizonans need to fill these good-paying jobs. And for Yuma, it must be a priority to upgrade and improve the San Luis Port of Entry, which is the second-busiest, non-commercial port in Arizona and a vital part of the region’s economy. That will help improve trade and reduce wait times.