2028 Democratic presidential nominee
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Senator
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age62 years old (Feb 21, 1964)
GenderMale
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LocationArizona
BackgroundPolitician
EducationUnited States Merchant Marine Academy — B.S., marine engineering and nautical science (1986)
Notable personal detailsMark Edward Kelly is a U.S. Senator from Arizona, elected in a 2020 special election and reelected in 2022. He previously served as a U.S. Navy naval aviator and test pilot, flying combat missions during Operation Desert Storm, and later became a NASA astronaut, flying four Space Shuttle missions. He earned a B.S. from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and an M.S. from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He is married to former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports targeted tax relief for working and middle-class families (expanded Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, refundable adoption credit) and opposes tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations while backing tax provisions to support domestic clean-energy and manufacturing supply chains.
Healthcare
Supports preserving and strengthening the Affordable Care Act (including premium tax credits/subsidies) and advancing targeted federal legislation to expand access to care (Medicaid/primary care, protections for specific patient groups) and lower costs for families. Advocates bipartisan, government-led measures to keep coverage affordable and maintain in‑network access for patients.
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Immigration & Border
Supports fixing the broken immigration system with increased resources for border communities, protections for Dreamers and mixed-status families, and bipartisan agreements that combine border security measures with humanitarian and legal protections. Advocates working with both parties to secure the border while preserving asylum and family protections and expanding legal pathways where possible.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports codifying federal protections for abortion access and opposes strict abortion bans. Has co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act, defended FDA authority over mifepristone, and called for restoring reproductive rights so individuals can make decisions with their doctors.
Climate & Energy
Supports substantial federal investment in clean energy, climate resilience, and emissions-reduction technologies while working with both parties on infrastructure and energy projects; has shaped and supported major climate and energy provisions in laws such as the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and sponsored legislation to expand residential and community renewable energy access and carbon-removal research.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports stricter federal gun regulations including targeted bans on highly lethal semi-automatic firearms, expanded and completed background checks for all gun sales, and laws such as red flag measures and other interventions to prevent dangerous individuals from accessing firearms.
News
Mark Kelly is being mentioned as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential contender and is appearing at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network conference in New York to court Black voters and activists. The event is part of an early, informal Democratic primary scramble, with Kelly and other potential contenders testing messages and criticizing Donald Trump. He has also been tied to a Democratic push on affordability, including support for a bill to eliminate federal income tax for millions of lower-income Americans.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262024
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements





