EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., responded to a question about his level of interest in a Cabinet-level role in a potential Kamala Harris administration.
After speaking at the Veterans and Military Families Council meeting during the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Kelly joined Fox News Digital for an interview about the presidential race.
The Arizona senator was asked by Fox News Digital if he would be interested in serving in Vice President Kamala Harris’ cabinet if she won the presidential election in November, specifically in secretary positions in the Departments of Defense (DOD) or Homeland Security (DHS).
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“I’m focused on doing everything I possibly can over the next 77 days to make sure that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris are successful on November 5th. That’s my goal,” he said, not indicating whether he’d want to join their administration.
Kelly’s answer was similar to his responses earlier this month when he was being considered and vetted as a potential running mate for Harris. He repeatedly told reporters that it wasn’t about him, and he was focused on making sure Democrats win in November.
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The Democratic senator’s background as a 25-year Navy combat veteran puts him at a unique vantage point and makes him a very likely contender for a potential stint as the secretary of defense if he were interested. Similarly, Kelly’s role as senator of a border state, who has made clear his concerns regarding illegal immigration, could leverage his standing on a list of possible DHS secretaries.
One sticking point for the Arizona Democrat in the 2024 election is respect for veterans and their families. “Do you expect somebody, Donald Trump to really care about military families when he doesn’t even care about the service members that have put their lives on the line and regard them as suckers and losers?” he asked on Tuesday. “Of course you wouldn’t.”
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However, former President Trump has denied the anonymously sourced report that said he called deceased soldiers “suckers” and “losers.”
He has denied doing so, writing on Truth Social, “Only a sicko with an axe to grind would suggest that anyone would make such a statement.”
But his denial hasn’t stopped opponents, Kelly and President Biden included, from holding it against him.
“You need somebody who cares about our veterans and cares about our service members,” Kelly told Fox News Digital.
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According to the senator, “a President Harris will make sure that we continue to modernize our military, to make sure our service members can win in conflicts, whether it’s in the Western Pacific, in Europe, in the Middle East, anywhere.”
He further described the “tremendous amount of energy” at the DNC, where Harris is being celebrated as the new Democratic nominee for president after Biden suspended his campaign. But Kelly said the enthusiasm isn’t confined to Chicago.
“Arizona is often thought of as sort of a red state,” he explained. But, “I’ve never seen any energy like this before, in that arena,” the Democrat said in reference to Harris’ recent rally in the state.
“It’s hard to imagine what it’s going to be like in October. It’s going to be off the charts,” he predicted.
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