Kelly Win in Arizona Brings Dems Closer to Senate Control

Party now needs to win in either Nevada or Georgia to retain control of chamber
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 12, 2022 12:33 AM CST
Kelly Win in Arizona Brings Dems Closer to Senate Control
Sen. Mark Kelly, with his wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords greets supporters at an election night event in Tucson, Ariz., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.   (AP Photo/Alberto Mariani)

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly won his bid for reelection Friday in the crucial swing state of Arizona, defeating Republican venture capitalist Blake Masters to put his party one victory away from clinching control of the chamber for the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency. With Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote, Democrats can retain control of the Senate by winning either the Nevada race, which remains too early to call, or next month’s runoff in Georgia. Republicans now must win both those races to take the majority. The Arizona race is one of a handful of contests that Republicans targeted in their bid to take control of the 50-50 Senate, the AP reports. It was a test of the inroads that Kelly and other Democrats have made in a state once reliably dominated by the GOP.

The closely watched race for governor between Democrat Katie Hobbs and Republican Kari Lake was too early to call Friday night. In the secretary of state's race, Democrat Adrian Fontes defeated Republican Mark Finchem, a top 2020 election denier. Kelly, a former NASA astronaut who’s flown in space four times, is married to former US Rep. Gabby Giffords, who inspired the nation with her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head during an assassination attempt in 2011 that killed six people and injured 13. Kelly and Giffords went on to co-found a gun safety advocacy group.

Kelly and Giffords were at an Elton John concert in Phoenix on Friday night when the AP called the race, campaign spokesperson Sarah Guggenheimer said. Maricopa County reported a large batch of results that increased Kelly's lead and made clear Masters could not make up the difference with the remaining ballots. "It’s been one of the great honors of my life to serve as Arizona’s Senator," Kelly said in a statement. "I’m humbled by the trust our state has placed in me to continue this work." Kelly’s victory in a 2020 special election spurred by the death of Republican Sen. John McCain gave Democrats both of Arizona’s Senate seats for the first time in 70 years.

(More 2022 midterms stories.)

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