What you need to know about Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly is a former Navy fighter pilot and astronaut turned senator. Here’s what else you need to know about the Arizona senator.
- Kelly campaign spokesman Jacob Peters sidestepped the size of the fundraiser and instead focused on some of the themes Kelly has broached since Trump returned to the White House.
- His campaign was consistently the most prolific in Congress, raising more money in the last three months of the year than in the first nine months.
- While the uproar over the video has been a boon to the campaigns of Mr. Kelly and other Democrats, Mr. Kelly faces criticism from Mr. Hegseth and a possible demotion that would result in a reduction in his Navy pension.
Sen. Mark Kelly’s campaign has raised more than $12.5 million in the final months of 2025 after his “unlawful orders” video dispute with President Donald Trump effectively made the Arizona Democrat the center of opposition to the administration.
Mr. Kelly may have set a quarterly fundraising record for a senator up for re-election during an off-year, during which he distributed $1 million in campaign funds to other Democratic candidates in Arizona and around the country. Mr. Kelly’s current term does not expire until after the 2028 election.
The huge amount of money reflects both the importance of the conflict with President Trump and Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth and the ability of Mr. Kelly, who has said he is considering a run for the Oval Office in 2028, to capitalize on public anger.
Last year, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-N.Y.) raised $11.6 million for early 2025, when the former presidential candidate drew crowds from across the country, including Arizona, and toured with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in a show of liberal resistance to Trump.
Kelly campaign spokesman Jacob Peters sidestepped the size of the fundraiser and instead focused on some of the themes Kelly has broached since Trump returned to the White House.
“As Mark fights every day to reduce costs, keep Arizonans safe, and protect our constitutional rights, he is buoyed by the massive grassroots support that supports him,” Peters said in a statement.
“Paying $5, $10, $20 at a time, these patriots are joining him in his efforts to elect a Democrat, hold this administration accountable, and build a better future for Arizona and this country that prioritizes hard-working people over billionaires.”
His campaign was consistently the most prolific in Congress, raising more money in the last three months of the year than in the first nine months.
The quarterly fundraising total, which ended with $14.9 million in cash, is likely to fuel speculation that Kelly could run for president in 2028. As a measure of Mr. Kelly’s fundraising standing, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), also mentioned as a potential presidential candidate, raised $817,000 in the quarter.
The controversy over a video in which he and five other Democrats told military personnel that they “must refuse illegal orders” has undoubtedly sparked a fundraising frenzy.
From October 1 to November 17 (the day before the video was released and roughly the midpoint of the three-month quarter), Kelly’s campaign raised $1 million from individual donors.
From Nov. 18 to the end of the month, the campaign raised an additional $2.2 million. In December, individuals donated another $3.3 million.
Donor refunds increased slightly after Kelly’s campaign video. Before this video, the campaign had refunded $2,700. The $53,000 was later refunded.
In the final days of 2025, the Kerry campaign donated $100,000 each to the Democratic National House and Senate Committees. He gave $25,000 each to the Democratic National Committee and the Arizona Democratic Party.
The committee sent $5,000 each to 25 state party committees across the country, from Maine to Alaska. He also contributed to individual Democratic campaigns across the country, from Sen. Jon Ossoff’s re-election fight in Georgia to Joanna Mendoza’s effort to unseat Arizona Republican Rep. Juan Siscomani in the Tucson area.
While the uproar over the video has been a financial boon for the campaigns of Mr. Kelly and other Democrats, he still faces censure from Mr. Hegseth and a demotion that would reduce his Navy pension.
Kelly, a former Navy fighter pilot, filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the disciplinary action. A hearing in the case next week could indicate whether a federal judge will consider the issue as a broad First Amendment case that Mr. Kelly and his supporters have argued.
The government says Mr. Kelly did not appeal the action through the Pentagon’s administrative process, and alleges that Mr. Kelly undermined Mr. Hegseth’s authority in his messages to the military.
Kelly points out that the video only describes long-standing military policy.
