Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly is an American politician, former NASA astronaut, and retired United States Navy captain serving as the junior United States Senator from Arizona since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected in a 2020 special election to finish the term of the late John McCain and won a full term in the 2022 election. Prior to his political career, Kelly was a naval aviator and combat veteran who flew 39 missions during the Gulf War before being selected as a NASA astronaut in 1996, flying on four Space Shuttle missions.

Early life and education

Mark Edward Kelly was born in Orange, New Jersey, and grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, the son of Patricia and Richard Kelly, both of whom served as police officers. He is the identical twin brother of former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. Kelly attended Mountain High School before receiving an appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, where he graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine engineering and a commission as an ensign in the United States Navy. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Naval Postgraduate School in 1994.

NASA career

Selected by NASA in 1996 as part of Group 16, Kelly served as a pilot on STS-108 in 2001 and STS-121 in 2006, and as a commander on STS-124 in 2008 and STS-134 in 2011, the final mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. His spaceflight experience includes over 54 days in space. During the STS-134 mission, he delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station. Kelly retired from NASA and the Navy in 2011 to care for his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was critically wounded in an assassination attempt earlier that year.

United States Senate

Kelly announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in 2019, seeking the seat held by appointed Republican Senator Martha McSally, who had been appointed to fill the term of the late John McCain. He defeated McSally in the 2020 special election and was sworn into office by Vice President Mike Pence in December 2020, becoming Arizona's second Democratic senator alongside Kyrsten Sinema. In the 117th United States Congress, he was assigned to the Special Committee on Aging, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the Committee on Environment and Public Works. He won a full six-year term by defeating Republican nominee Blake Masters in the 2022 election.

Political positions

Kelly is considered a moderate or conservative Democrat. He has been a vocal advocate for gun control legislation, co-sponsoring bills like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and supports protecting the Affordable Care Act. On economic issues, he has worked on legislation to lower prescription drug costs and address supply chain vulnerabilities. He supports robust border security measures while also advocating for a pathway to citizenship for certain immigrants, such as Dreamers. Kelly is a proponent of clean energy development and has been involved in efforts to address climate change and Arizona's water scarcity, including supporting provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Personal life

Kelly married his first wife, Amelia Babis, in 1989; they divorced in 2004. He married former United States Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in 2007. The couple have two daughters, and reside in Tucson, Arizona. Following the 2011 Tucson shooting, Kelly became a prominent advocate for gun violence prevention alongside Giffords, co-founding the organization Giffords. He is the author of the books *"Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope"* and *"Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth"* (with his brother Scott). His naval awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Distinguished Flying Cross.

Category:1964 births Category:American astronauts Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Arizona Category:Living people Category:United States Navy captains