Who could be Harris’ VP pick? It should be Sen. Mark Kelly

Sen. Mark Kelly has what it takes to be vice president and no I’m not saying it just because he’s from Arizona.

That lane opened for Kelly and others when President Biden on Sunday stunned the country announcing he’s dropping his reelection bid and quickly endorsed vice president Kamala Harris.

Kelly joined a chorus of Democrats expressing their gratitude toward Biden calling him “one of the most consequential presidents in history.”

“He led us out of the pandemic, took historic steps to bring back microchip and clean energy manufacturing and rebuild our infrastructure, and he has strengthened our alliances and made our country safer,’’ Kelly wrote on X.

Then Kelly turned to Harris, throwing his support behind her as “the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future.”

“Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States,” Kelly said.

Mark Kelly can help Democrats secure swing-state Arizona

That means he’s ready and willing to the hard work, including becoming Harris’ vice president should she tap him.

She’d be smart to do just that. Kelly is a serious senator, not a bomb-throwing cranker merely looking to advance his own political career. No doubt he’ll help Harris win Arizona, a swing state Biden won by fewer than 11,000 votes.

At this point, it’s anyone guess who would get the nod for the ticket. Democrats have a lot to sort through amid the chaos and uncertainty of Biden’s viability following his disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump less than a month ago.

It’s heartening to see Democratic leaders coalesce behind Harris as the party’s next in line instead of wasting more time trying to decide on and rally behind somebody else. Harris is half Black, half South Asian from progressive California.

She would need a moderate vice president from a swing state like Arizona who could appeal to independents, women, white and rural voters.

A stellar career as astronaut, a poignant love story

Kelly, 60, checks all those boxes. He’s as tough as it comes with a brilliant space career and the personal tragedy that touches hearts.

The NASA astronaut flew his first shuttle mission in 2001 and his last one in 2011 just a few months after his wife, then Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was shot at a constituents event.

Giffords was shot in the head near Tucson. Six people died and 12 others were wounded. Since then, Kelly have been advocating for legislation to curb gun violence while still supporting the Second Amendment.

He’s the type of guy who plunged into politics by necessity rather than personal ambition. That first chance came against Republican Martha McSally, whom he defeated in the 2020 race.

He is a no-drama, do-the-hard-work senator

Kelly has distinguished himself as a steadfast, no-drama senator focusing on policy and smartly letting fellow senator and mentor Kyrsten Sinema get the spotlight in all the wrong ways.

Kelly has been thoughtful in his governing approach, willing to rid of the legislative filibuster to pass a voting-rights bill and pushing for bipartisan border security legislation.

Few can better explain and make the case for U.S. investment in semiconductors production domestically. That ability translated into the CHIPS and Science Act to provide billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to do that.

Democrats can’t afford not to pick somebody like Kelly, free of scandal with cross-over appeal and scientific acumen on local and internal affairs.

Whatever happens next, Kelly is ready.

Elvia Díaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, (formerly Twitter), @elviadiaz1.