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Arizona Senator Mark Kelly's name thrown around as Biden's possible replacement

By
Updated  July 18, 2024 6:52pm MST
2024 Election
FOX 10 Phoenix

Could Mark Kelly replace Biden?

PHOENIX - Pressure is mounting for President Joe Biden to shut down his re-election campaign, and an Arizona Senator's name is being thrown around as a possible replacement.

The name is Mark Kelly. He's a Democratic Arizona Senator and NASA astronaut.

His name is popping up along with Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, as possible replacements.

Mark Kelly could replace Biden in race: poll

A new poll shows that Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is considered to be one of the best choices to potentially replace Joe Biden in the presidential race.

‘He doesn’t have the experience to be president’

A hot dog stand that serves coffee and donuts turned into a campaign stop for Senate candidate and Democrat Ruben Gallego on July 18. He's running to replace Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema who left the Democratic Party.

But, there wasn't much of an appetite for a Mark Kelly presidential campaign.

"Mark Kelly is a fabulous candidate, but I am for Joe Biden all the way."

"No way. No way. I don’t think so, because he doesn’t have the experience to be president."

Kelly’s name first popped up in Politico after polling from BlueLabs Analytics showed him as a strong potential candidate.

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His resume is out of this world.

He comes from a working-class family, he became a NASA astronaut alongside his twin brother, and is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. 

Political expert Mike O'Neil says Kelly could grab some Republican support.

"I think his attributes, he might be the anti-charisma candidate and that might very well work for him," he said.

His authenticity might play well against former President Donald Trump’s showmanship.

READ MORE ON THE 2024 ELECTION

At the campaign stop on July 18, Congressmen Gallego said, "All these hypotheticals, and you know, I love running with Mark in Arizona. He's a great servant and Gabby’s amazing. You just have to talk to Mark."

Mark Kelly’s office released a statement on July 18 saying, "As Senator Kelly has said repeatedly, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are our nominees and he’s going to keep working hard to make sure they win in November and keep Donald Trump out of the White House."