Mark Edward Kelly is an American retired astronaut, U.S. Navy captain, businessman, and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Arizona since 2020.
A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected in the special election following the death of Senator John McCain, defeating incumbent Republican Martha McSally.
Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War as a naval aviator before being selected as a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996. Kelly announced his candidacy for Arizona’s Class 3 U.S. Senate seat in the 2020 special election on February 12, 2019.
He won the Democratic primary on August 4, 2020, and defeated incumbent Republican Martha McSally in the November 3, 2020, general election, becoming the first Democrat to win this seat since 1962. Kelly was sworn in on December 2, 2020.
Kelly is seeking reelection to a full term in the 2022 United States Senate election in Arizona against Republican Blake Masters.
Mark Kelly Net Worth: How Rich Is Mark Kelly?
AZCentral notes his net worth, which is estimated to be between $10 million and $27 million, could make him one of the wealthiest on Capital Hill or show him on the bottom wealth tiers of the group.
In addition to his senatorial salary of $174,000 per year, he has received nearly $2 million from speaking engagements, according to his Candidate Report (Amendment 1) disclosure statement.
Kelly was elected in a special election following the death of Sen. John McCain, where he defeated the incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally.
He took the public stage when his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot in 2011 at a public event in Arizona. He has been active in gun control activism since then.