Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly has been fighting to hold on to the seat he won for Democrats two years ago, but he faced a vastly different political environment heading into Tuesday's election against Republican venture capitalist Blake Masters.
Kelly's 2020 special election victory gave Democrats both of Arizona's Senate seats for the first time in 70 years. It was propelled by the state's fast-changing demographics and the unpopularity of then-President Donald Trump.
Kelly has distanced himself from Biden, particularly on border security, and plays down his Democratic affiliation. Masters emerged bruised from the contentious Republican primary and struggled to raise money, but polls suggest the race is nonetheless close. He's styled himself as an independent willing to buck his party, in the style of Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, whose death led to the special election that Kelly won in 2020.
"Mark Kelly is no John McCain. He's not even a Kyrsten Sinema," Masters said at a campaign event last month, referring to Arizona's senior senator known for political fights with her fellow Democrats. "He's a rubber stamp vote for Joe Biden's agenda." During the primary, Masters called for privatizing Social Security, took a hard-line stance against abortion and promoted a racist theory popular with white nationalists that Democrats are seeking to use immigration to replace white people in America.Nearly half of Arizona voters say the economy is the most important issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 3,200 voters in Arizona.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Arizona ‘Trump ticket’ races could shape balance of power in WashingtonWhat happens in Arizona stands to shape national politics. Republicans need to gain just one Senate seat to assume control of that chamber, with its powers to confirm or deny presidential appointments
Read more »
U.S. midterm elections: Arizona voting-machine malfunctions likely to delay some vote reportingWidespread malfunctions with election tabulating machines have caused increasingly long lines in one of the most closely watched voting districts in the U.S., although by early afternoon local officials said they had identified a solution
Read more »
Arizona, New Jersey Electronic Voting Machines Already Causing ProblemsElectronic voting machines have got to go.
Read more »
Democratic upset in U.S. midterms could roil markets, options mavens sayAn unexpected result in Tuesday’s election could throw the markets for a loop
Read more »
LIVE UPDATES: 2022 Senate, Governor ResultsWe will update the results as they come in, especially the key results. That is if we get the results today. 🙄
Read more »