Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., praised Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., as a “fantastic” candidate running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Gallego said Kelly would provide a “jolt” to Harris ahead of the November election, in which Democrats will once again face off against former President Trump.
“Having Kerry on the list will add some extra excitement to the race,” Gallego told CNN’s Manu Raju.
“And I think that’s great for Democrats across the country … and as a senator from a border state; [Kelly] “He understands border issues, he’s an astronaut and he’s married to Gabby Giffords … it’s just a winning combination,” he said.
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Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) speaks during a campaign event in Grant Park, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Phoenix. (Cassidy Araiza for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Gallego is a Democratic candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Independent, R-Ariz.) against Republican Kali Lake. Gallego currently holds a 3.4 percentage point lead over Lake, according to a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls.
President Biden endorsed Harris as his successor after she shockingly announced on Sunday that she was withdrawing from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The president withdrew from the race amid growing pressure from party officials who believe Harris would lose to Trump following Biden’s lackluster performance in last month’s debate.
Vice President Kamala Harris (R) prepares to be sworn in by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, at the Old Senate Chamber for the swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023. (Tasos Katpodis/Getty Images)
Harris took over Biden’s campaign, who announced earlier this week that he had secured enough delegate support to secure the Democratic National Convention nomination. Her team is currently in the process of selecting several running mates, including Kerry, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Michigan Governor Gretchen WhitmerIllinois Governor JB Pritzker, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
Kerry’s Democratic colleagues have spoken highly of him, and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), his 2016 vice presidential nominee, told NBC News that he would be an “excellent” choice for Harris.
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Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is the leading contender for the Democratic vice presidential nomination. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Kerry has “tremendous insight and wisdom,” “real common sense” and the ability to quickly grasp “very complex” issues, according to NBC News.
Kelly, a native of the key battleground state of Arizona, could help give Harris credibility in shutting down western states and on the border, which he has described as a “crisis.” Kelly has a compelling background and career as a former Navy pilot and astronaut. Both of his parents are former police officers, which could help Democrats fend off Republican attacks that he is too soft on crime.
Kelly is married to former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was shot while campaigning with voters in 2011. Giffords cared for her throughout her recovery and continues to do so today. Both are leading advocates for gun reform.
A new national poll, conducted after Biden announced he was suspending his campaign and endorsing his vice presidential nomination, shows Harris and Trump in a very close race.
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Trump, who was officially nominated last week as the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential candidate, has the support of 46% of registered voters in an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.
Harris said Monday night that she secured the Democratic nomination thanks to verbal commitments from delegates in next month’s election. Democratic National ConventionIn the poll, Trump’s approval rating was 45%. Trump’s one-point lead is within the survey’s margin of sampling error. Nine percent of respondents were undecided.
Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital contributed to this update.
