Democrat Kelly defeats McSally in Arizona Senate race

Retired U.S. Navy captain and former astronaut Mark Kelly on Wednesday morning was projected to unseat Republican incumbent Arizona Sen. Martha McSally. 

The Associated Press called the race at 2:51 a.m. EST.

McSally was thought to be one of the most vulnerable Republican senators facing reelection this year. A number of recent polls had shown Kelly leading McSally, and Kelly consistently fundraised more than her as well. Kelly raised a whopping $37 million in the third quarter of 2020, while McSally raised $20 million. 

The Republican incumbent also had to contend with President Trump’s presence in the race even as polls showed a competitive presidential contest in Arizona, a state that has elected one Democratic nominee for president since the 1950s.

In a debate last month, McSally repeatedly avoided directly answering whether she was proud of her support for the president.  

“I’m proud that I’m fighting for Arizonans on things like cutting your taxes,” McSally said. “I’m proud to be fighting for Arizona every single day.”

Kelly is the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). They became vocal gun control advocates following an assassination attempt on Giffords.  

The former congresswoman played a major role in her husband’s campaign, frequently appearing on the campaign trail and in ads with Kelly. 

The race was technically a special election for the seat once occupied by the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Former Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) was initially tapped by Gov. Doug Ducey (R) to fill the seat; however, Kyl resigned in December 2018. Ducey then appointed McSally, who had lost to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in the 2018 midterm election.