The newest lawmaker
Retired astronaut Mark Kelly’s swearing-in gives Arizona 2 Democratic senators for first time in decades
Retired astronaut Mark Kelly was sworn in as Arizona’s new senator at noon Wednesday, narrowing Senate Republicans’ majority by a vote to 52-48 during the final weeks of President Donald Trump’s presidency and unsettled Senate races in Georgia.
Kelly, D-Ariz., was escorted to his swearing-in ceremony in the Senate chamber by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, DAriz., who in 2018 became the first Democrat in three decades to clinch a Senate seat in Arizona.
Together, the centrist Democrats will become the first Democratic duo to represent Arizona in the Senate since Sens. Carl Hayden and Ernest McFarland served together in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Kelly’s wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., walked slowly alongside him into the Senate building with the help of a cane, an aid she has used since her recovery from a shot to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in 2011.
As they walked into the building,
Kelly told The Arizona Republic that Giffords was reflecting on how nine years had passed since she served on Capitol Hill:
“She loved serving in Congress, it was just a great honor for her to represent Arizona in the U.S. House and it’s the same for me here in the U.S. Senate.”
Kelly took his ceremonial oath of office administered by Vice President Mike Pence using the Bible of his wife’s maternal grandmother.
Sinema, wearing a purple wig in the era of COVID-19, held the old Bible upon which he placed his left hand on while taking the oath. All three were wearing masks, along with all other senators in the small chamber, who applauded his entry into the 100-member club.
Kelly was greeted with elbow bumps from fellow senators as he stepped onto the floor.
“I feel great,” he later told The Republic. “Like I said on election night speech, I mean, now the job starts. ... What matters is what happens from here forward and what can I do to improve folks’ lives in the state of Arizona.”
Giffords, a national voice on gunsafety issues, his twin brother, Scott, also a retired astronaut, and his two daughters, Claudia and Claire, were to accompany him on his momentous day.
Giffords told reporters after walking out of the Senate gallery that Kelly’s swearing-in was “awesome” and “A plus!”
Kelly’s brother, per a pool report, said it was “a little surreal” seeing Kelly be sworn into the Senate.
After the swearing-in, Kelly, Giffords and their family went to the Old Senate Chamber for a ceremonial reenactment photo with Pence.
According to a pool report, Pence made small talk with the family about Kelly’s military service as a combat pilot and how his son would rather follow such a career path than his own as a politician.
“This is an honor for me,” Pence was quoted as saying. “Congratulations.”
Giffords, who served in the House with Pence, made a brief, celebratory “woo!” sound after the ceremonial swearing-in.
At one point, Pence referenced Kelly’s experience as a former astronaut.
“I hope you are as proud as I am over what we’ve done with NASA over the last four years,” Pence said.
Kelly said he had just been discuss
“I feel great. Like I said on election night speech, I mean, now the job starts. ... What matters is what happens from here forward and what can I do to improve folks’ lives in the state of Arizona.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz After his ceremonial swearing-in on Wednesday
ing NASA with his new colleague, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the Senate floor.
“You’ll be an invaluable voice building on the progress we’ve made,” Pence said. “We’ve gotten the human space exploration back rolling where it needs to be.”
Sinema said in a written statement that she looked forward to partnering with Kelly “to cut through Washington dysfunction and deliver results for everyday Arizonans — and I’m confident Mark will uphold the Arizona values of seeking common ground and putting country above party.”
Kelly, a retired naval combat pilot, will finish the final term of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, one of his heroes, who died in 2018. A day ahead of his swearing-in, Kelly and his family laid a wreath at McCain’s grave at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Maryland.
Since winning Arizona’s Nov. 3 special election over Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., Kelly formed a bipartisan transition team that includes some of Democrats’ biggest names from Arizona, and some of McCain’s allies.
Kelly has not yet received his permanent office space or committee assignments, but wants his experience as an engineer, veteran, astronaut and gunsafety advocate to guide his work in the chamber.
His arrival ahead of the new crop of senators-elect gives Kelly seniority, which helps determine senators’ status among members.
In the near term, Kelly and Sinema are expected to work together to try to help advance a coronavirus relief package to help Americans reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Each has called for additional financial relief for local and tribal governments, schools, and health care workers.
Kelly and Sinema are expected to build on their already friendly relationship, offering a contrast to the cool, but cordial relationship McSally and Sinema shared during McSally’s two years in the Senate.
Kelly said he spoke with colleagues on the floor and in the cloakroom, including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., about the state of any potential COVID-19 relief package.
“We’ve got millions of Americans that are really suffering and now we’ve got a looming eviction crisis,” Kelly said. “We’ve got issues on tribal nations across the country, particularly in Arizona ... And cities and towns are struggling to have the resources to provide essential services.”
Kelly said Congress’ delay in advancing a package was unacceptable.