Arizona Senator Mark Kelly Might Be Eyeing a Run for President in 2028

The 2028 presidential election is still almost three years away, but there's already been plenty of speculation about which Democrats and Republicans might be positioning themselves for a bid. Now, as Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is set to have his retirement pay cut by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, many are wondering whether Kelly might be positioning himself for a run.

Kelly, a former astronaut who managed to win in purple Arizona, could be uniquely appealing on a nationwide ticket. Here's what we know about whether he's planning to run for president.

There is no hard evidence that Kelly is planning a run for the White House, and he has thus far brushed off questions about whether he would seek the office. Because there is no heir apparent for the 2028 cycle (like Hilary Clinton in 2016), there's definitely been speculation that Kelly will eventually decide to run. He was considered as a vice presidential nominee on Kamala Harris's 2024 ticket, and his military credentials could be appealing.

"What's most important to Mark right now is protecting the rights and freedoms of all Americans and fighting back against efforts to jack up health care premiums for thousands of Arizona families," Kelly's campaign spokesperson Jacob Peters told Axios.

We won't know more about who is planning to seek the nomination for the Democratic Party until after the midterms, as the results of those elections will also help dictate who decides to throw their hat in the ring.

Due to his status as a veteran, and perhaps to his ability to challenge Republicans in 2028, Kelly is currently facing opposition from the Trump administration. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called Kelly's conduct "seditious," referring to a video he and other Democratic lawmakers published in which they encouraged active military personnel to refuse to obey illegal orders.

Hegseth announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Pentagon had begun the process of lowering his retirement rank, which would also come with a decrease in pay.

"As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War — and the American people — expect justice," Hegseth wrote.

Kelly delivered a fiery statement of his own, saying he would fight the Pentagon's effort "with everything [he's] got."

“Over 25 years in the U.S. Navy, 39 combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out,” he wrote. “I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that.”

“Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way,” he continued. “It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.”