Mark Kelly

Democratic Platform

Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly voted for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which he views as essential investments in Arizona's semiconductor, clean energy, and defense manufacturing sectors. He has emphasized the role of these investments in bringing manufacturing jobs and supply chain resilience back to the United States.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.

Democratic Platform

Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly supports the Affordable Care Act and voted for the Inflation Reduction Act provisions that allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors. He has backed legislation to lower insulin and prescription drug costs and supported Medicaid expansion, which Arizona adopted in 2013.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly represents a border state and has taken a distinctive position among Senate Democrats, supporting significant border security investment alongside a pathway to citizenship for long-term undocumented residents. He was among the Democratic senators who helped negotiate the bipartisan border security bill in 2024, which ultimately failed to advance. He backed the legislation as necessary to address the flow of illegal border crossings and fentanyl.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.

Democratic Platform

Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly supports federal investment in public education, workforce training, and STEM education aligned with Arizona's growing technology and aerospace industries. He has backed community college investment and apprenticeship programs as pathways to careers in manufacturing and defense.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly co-founded the Giffords gun safety organization with his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, after she was shot in 2011. He voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022) and has been one of the Senate's most prominent advocates for gun safety legislation, including universal background checks and red flag laws. He frames these positions as consistent with his background as a military officer and responsible gun owner.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.

Democratic Platform

Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly supported the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy investments and views solar energy development as a major economic opportunity for Arizona. He has backed federal investments in clean energy manufacturing and supports meeting U.S. climate commitments. He has also focused on water security as a related threat facing Arizona from rising temperatures.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, places a strong military and robust veteran support at the center of his foreign policy worldview. He has backed continued assistance for Ukraine, strong NATO commitments, and a firm posture toward China. He sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee and has focused on defense readiness and care for veterans.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.

Democratic Platform

Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly opposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare and has backed legislation to protect both programs. He supports allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices as a mechanism that simultaneously reduces costs for seniors and strengthens the program's long-term finances.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.

Mark Kelly

Senator Kelly supports criminal justice reforms that reduce barriers to reentry and address disparities in the system. He has focused on combating fentanyl trafficking across Arizona's border with Mexico as a public safety priority and has backed resources for law enforcement and border security alongside reform measures.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.