2020 AZ Senate Megathread: Kelly's Race to Lose

[pppolitics]

I remember when pppolitics kept lecturing us about how Gallego is a terrible left-wing extremist and Grant Woods was the only candidate who was moderate enough to possibly win Arizona.

You argument is a straw man.

[Cold War Liberal]

I love how people are pretending that Kelly being a moderate Democrat in AZ is bad for winning a Senate race in a tossup state against a hard right opponent who recently lost to a moderate Democrat

[Don Vito Corleone]

Think you guys are being a wee bit overconfident about Kelly. Remember a lot of the new Democratic converts are still registered R and can't vote in the primary, meaning the primary electorate is pretty progressive (see the joke candidate running against Sinema getting 20% last year).

[Rookie Yinzer]

Why did he endorse Pat Toomey? I only know him as a gun control advocate in the vein of Lucy McBath.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Kyrsten Sinema is a blue dog as well.

His support for Toomey wasnt correct, but Dems from AZ are this way.  He has dedicated his life to gun control since Giffords accident. McSally is just as weak as Trump. She can lose

[Don Vito Corleone]

Why did he endorse Pat Toomey? I only know him as a gun control advocate in the vein of Lucy McBath.

Because of Manchin-Toomey.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Why did he endorse Pat Toomey? I only know him as a gun control advocate in the vein of Lucy McBath.

Because of Manchin-Toomey.

I figured it had to do with guns. Thanks.

[SnowLabrador]

To me, his endorsement of Pat Toomey is disqualifying. Here's to hoping Gallego runs.

[libertpaulian]

To me, his endorsement of Pat Toomey is disqualifying. Here's to hoping Gallego runs.

Sinema is more right-wing than Kelly is.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

We are in a new paradigm, where the economy isnt affecting voters, but income inequality, guns and sociak issues are affecting people's vote. Also, states arent gonna vote the same way in downballot races as opposed to gubernatorial and presudential races.

Dems like Kelly, Grissom and Abrams can win statewide races eventhough their state is more conservative at federal level.

[wesmoorenerd]

To me, his endorsement of Pat Toomey is disqualifying. Here's to hoping Gallego runs.

Sinema is more right-wing than Kelly is.

Sinema ran virtually unopposed in 2018. If Gallego had elected to run in that primary I would've backed him.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

As far as I can tell, Kelly never personally endorsed Toomey.  He was a member of a pro-gun control PAC that endorsed him.  This is a single-issue advocacy group whose endorsement of candidates was based solely on their gun control positions.  It says nothing about Kelly's support (or lack of support) for any other position Toomey has taken.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

I don’t know why Democrats would be so excited for a guy who endorsed Pat Toomey.

[adrac]

I'd prefer Gallego, but he should be a strong candidate in the general. More than capable of taking down McSally.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Please run Gallego.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Does anyone know outside of gun control where Kelly is on the ideological spectrum?
Is he like McCaskill, Schumer, Barbara Lee? I'd assume he's like a Schumer average democrat, which I can stomach.

[brucejoel99]

I've gotta say, although I'm a liberal who has preferred progressive candidates over moderate centrists before, I'm compelled to support Kelly due to the dedication w/ which he & Gabby Giffords have worked to keep the issue of gun control in the headlines for the last several years.

I'm from Broward County, & MSD's right in my own backyard. I've been there plenty of times, & I have good friends who go to school there. This issue matters to me. So I'm happy to support the candidate who has stepped up & done something; who has taken a stand against gun violence; who has taken the time to remember the lives lost to mass shootings all over the nation; & who, alongside his brave wife, has been affected by gun violence moreso than any of us could imagine.

I don't need to have met the man to be able to see that Kelly is kind, gracious, & above all interested in listening & engaging us as voters & activists on the vital issue of ending mass shootings in our schools & elsewhere. So I don't care what other Democrat may enter this race now. He's got my full support.

[2016]

Senator Super Zaybay though said that Mark Kelly would never run and the Field would be cleared for Gallego.

Wrong again like he always is.

[Blair]

Hey I know it goes against a fine Atlas tradition, but can't we accept that both Kelly and Gallegeo are A-list candidates, and that a healthy, and competitive primary will test both their messages, campaigns and abilities as politicians?

[Peanut]

Hey I know it goes against a fine Atlas tradition, but can't we accept that both Kelly and Gallegeo are A-list candidates, and that a healthy, and competitive primary will test both their messages, campaigns and abilities as politicians?

[_]

Hey I know it goes against a fine Atlas tradition, but can't we accept that both Kelly and Gallegeo are A-list candidates, and that a healthy, and competitive primary will test both their messages, campaigns and abilities as politicians?

No because arguments and divisive primaries are what Atlas does best.

[MAINEiac4434]

Why did he endorse Pat Toomey? I only know him as a gun control advocate in the vein of Lucy McBath.

Toomey has authored and supported major gun control legislation. Basically, if your gun rights group isn’t endorsing him, they’re not endorsing any Republican (which I’m fine with).

It’s kind of like how the Human Rights Campaign endorses Susan Collins every six years.

[Calthrina950]

Though I'm not in tune with all of Kelly's stances on gun control (though I also understand why he has them, given what happened to his wife), he appears more moderate than Gallego, and I hope that he wins the nomination.

[Bernie Derangement Syndrome Haver]

Kyrsten Sinema + Mark Kelly = U.S. Senate dream team. Envious of Arizona right now! Kelly has my full support

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Hey I know it goes against a fine Atlas tradition, but can't we accept that both Kelly and Gallegeo are A-list candidates, and that a healthy, and competitive primary will test both their messages, campaigns and abilities as politicians?