TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona’s choice for the US Senate could affect who controls the Senate because the margins between parties are so close. Voters chose Mark Kelly for a two-year term to fill the vacancy left by the death of John Mc Cain. Now he’s running for a full six years in the Senate.
When we asked Mark Kelly what he sees as the hottest of the hot button issues he cited the economy and his efforts to lower costs for average Arizona families.
“That's why things like the CHIPS Act, which I led on, to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the US, specifically to Arizona will have an effect at some point. But we still today need to increase domestic oil and gas production. That's why I told the administration, you know, last year that they were wrong on this," explained Kelly.
Kelly says he pressed the Biden Administration to release oil from the strategic oil reserve and to make more oil drilling leases available.
Some analysts believe the Supreme Court reversing Roe versus Wade and state law banning abortions in Arizona will drive moderates in general and women in particular to the polls. Kelly says he wants abortions rights restored.
Kelly says, “Now women in Arizona cannot make this decision on their own and some politicians, like my opponent, you know, want to make this decision for them. Yeah, I think this issue is a big deal. This election. It's about liberty. It's about a constitutional right. That has been taken away.”
Kelly says he’s fought the Biden administration on border policy he sees as bad for Arizona like Biden’s move to end enforcement of Title 42. Title 42 allowed faster deportation of undocumented border crossers. And Kelly says he’s worked to boost security at ports of entry where most drugs come in.
“There's 12 lanes down in Nogales. Only one of them has the low power x-ray machine that detects fentanyl. As we rebuild these ports of entry, with money from the infrastructure, that bipartisan infrastructure bill that I was involved in, critical in negotiating every one of those lanes, at least most of them, if not every one of them is going to have that technology," continued Kelly.
Kelly says in a political world perceived as angry and polarized he’s been able to reach across party lines to do what’s best for Arizona and the country.
“It is easy to find partners on things that make sense. And that's why in the 20 months, I've been there. We've passed five major pieces of bipartisan legislation, infrastructure, chips, gun safety, postal reform, veterans health care, and more. I mean, that is really delivering for the state of Arizona.”