Sen. Mark Kelly sets pace in fundraising for 2022 Arizona Senate race
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly raised $6 million during the second quarter of 2021, surpassing the Democrat’s fundraising during the first three months of the year and during the same time period for his first run for the Senate in 2019.
The campaign has more than $7 million cash on hand, and the total amount raised for the election cycle has reached more than $10 million, his campaign told The Arizona Republic Tuesday.
The sum reflects Kelly’s financial strength headed into the 2022 Senate race, where he will be blanketing the airwaves in an effort to help Democrats maintain their narrow majority in the Senate.
Three Republican candidates — businessman Jim Lamon, Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Michael “Mick” McGuire, retired adjutant general of the Arizona National Guard — are vying for the GOP nomination to face Kelly. They have not yet released their numbers.
Second-quarter fundraising ended June 30. Campaign-finance reports are due to the Federal Election Commission July 15.
More than 85,000 people donated to Kelly from March to June; the average donation was $32. Contributions were overwhelmingly $100 or less, the campaign said; 35% of the 117,000 people who gave to the campaign in 2021 thus far had not given to Kelly’s campaign before, according to his campaign.
“The swell in grassroots support we’re seeing is a direct result of Mark delivering in the Senate and will be what fuels our people-powered campaign as we move full speed ahead into 2022,” said Emma Brown, Kelly’s campaign manager.
In 2020, Kelly defeated Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz.
Until an election could be held, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey had appointed former Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and then McSally to fill the seat that was empty after Republican Sen. John McCain died in August 2018. McCain had won the seat in 2016.
Kelly is now running for a full six-year term in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races in the nation.
Have news to share about Arizona politics? Reach the reporter on Twitter and Facebook. Contact her at [email protected] and 602-444-4712.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
Subscribe for free to The Gaggle political podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or wherever you listen to audio content.
Read More: Sen. Mark Kelly sets pace in fundraising for 2022 Arizona Senate race