Sen. Mark Kelly didn’t get picked to be Kamala Harris’ running mate. His consolation prize, however, may be his rising stock in Arizona politics.
The senator is growing into his role as the senior-most Democrat in the state and being viewed as more of an influential figure in the swing state’s often contentious elections — a clout that has only increased since he was floated as a top contender for vice president.
Now, the question facing the retired astronaut turned politician is: Can Kelly actually translate this national attention into playing kingmaker?