General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMark Kelly raises astronomical sum in bid to snag Senate seat from GOP, "SPECTACULAR" fundraiser
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/18/mark-kelly-senate-fundraise-051296Mark Kelly has more money in his Senate election war chest than Joe Biden does running for president.
The former astronaut, gun control activist and husband of Gabrielle Giffords has established a veritable cash gusher in Arizona, raising nearly $14 million this year, including $5.6 million in the last three months alone. Combined with his compelling biography, Kelly, a Democrat running for elected office for the first time, has laid the groundwork for a serious bid to unseat GOP Sen. Martha McSally in a critical battleground for Senate control.
McSally, who was appointed to the Senate after losing the race for the states other seat in 2018, has posted impressive fundraising in the off year, too, outraising all but two Republican senators in the most recent fundraising period. But Kelly has nonetheless stretched his advantage, with $9.5 million in the bank as of Sept. 30, compared with $5.6 million for McSally.
"I think those numbers speak for themselves. Good grief," said Jim Pederson, a former state Democratic Party chair who ran for Senate in 2006.
The guy is a very personable, sharp guy. And he's made a lot of friends nationwide, and I think he's tapped into that network, Pederson said, adding that Arizonans were "wrapped up into his enthusiasm."
Republicans have taken notice as well.
"Its not necessarily that Sen. McSally is doing poorly. It is that Mark Kelly is doing spectacularly, said Paul Bentz, a Republican strategist in Arizona. He's doing above and beyond, I think, what anybody would have anticipated when it comes to fundraising.
She has the power of incumbency, but he has definitely caught up on man
Julian Englis
(2,309 posts)Cha
(297,655 posts)DFW
(54,436 posts)We need SCOTUS justices that will rule against Citizen United, against gerrymandering, and for fairly held elections along with universal voting rights. Until we get them, the system stays, and we either play or pass.
To affect the change in the SCOTUS, we first need a president that will nominate better justices than the likes of Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, and then a Senate that will confirm them. To get THAT, we need Moscow Mitch out as majority leader. Mark will be a good first step.
He not is not only a great fundraiser (Gabby helps), but he is also smart, personable, a rock solid personality, and with a background even right wing propaganda will have difficulty denting. I've never met McSally, but I suspect that despite her military background, she will have a hard time matching Mark's credentials.
[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]
LittleGirl
(8,291 posts)She was appointed to the seat after Sinema beat her resoundingly!
I still vote for AZ and Mark gets my vote.
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)the gOP everywhere.