The Senate campaign for retired astronaut Mark Kelly has raised more than $1 million since he announced his candidacy on Tuesday, according to The Arizona Republic.
Rodd McLeod, Kelly’s campaign spokesman, told the newspaper that it raised $1.1 million by the end of Wednesday.
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Kelly, who turned to politics after his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) survived an assassination attempt, said that it raised about $604,000 in the first 24 hours.
“A huge thank you to everyone who saw our launch and joined our team yesterday. I’m new to this but I’m told we did well,” he said on Twitter.
“We’re #FullSpeedAhead without a DIME of corporate PAC money,” he added.
A huge thank you to everyone who saw our launch and joined our team yesterday. I’m new to this but I’m told we did well. In the first 24 hours we raised $604K from more than 9,700 contributions. We’re #FullSpeedAhead without a DIME of corporate PAC money. https://t.co/x94NukAYOQ
— Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) February 13, 2019
The Republic noted that Kelly’s funding haul is on pace with some presidential candidates. For example, Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) raised about $1 million in the 48 hours after she launched her 2020 campaign to challenge President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE.
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Kelly announced his bid to challenge Republican Sen. Martha McSallyMartha Elizabeth McSallyGOP senators introduce resolution opposing calls to defund the police No evidence of unauthorized data transfers by top Chinese drone manufacturer: study Senate Democratic campaign arm launches online hub ahead of November MORE (R-Ariz.) in a video posted on Twitter on Tuesday. Kelly, who has spent more than 54 days in space across three NASA missions, said he would work ensure affordable health care and wage growth as a representative of Arizona.
“Partisanship and polarization and gerrymandering and corporate money have ruined our politics, and it’s divided us,” Kelly said. “We’ve seen this retreat from science and data and facts, and if we don’t take these issues seriously, we can’t solve these problems.”
Kelly is so far the only Democrat to launch a campaign against McSally in the 2020 special election. She was appointed to fill the remainder of the late Sen. John McCain’s (R) term after McCain’s first replacement, Jon Kyl, stepped down at the end of last year.
McSally came into her Senate position after losing to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in November’s midterm election.