The political landscape in Arizona could drastically change if current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly secures a new title as Vice President, running alongside Kamala Harris. Should this potential reality come to pass, Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat like Kelly, would be tasked with appointing Kelly's successor—who must also be a Democrat—following his inevitable resignation before January 20, Inauguration Day, according to AZPM.
An intricate game of musical chairs might then unfold, as state laws mandate a special election in 2026 during the next general election, to determine who will serve the remainder of Kelly's term, which expires in 2028. Kelly, who first took office through a similar sequence, filled the seat left vacant by the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, winning a special election in 2020, before securing a full term two years later, as per AZPM.
Arizonans find themselves on familiar turf, no stranger to a repeating cycle of Senate elections, with elections occurring every even-numbered year since 2016. This tradition, born from McCain's re-election and succeeded by a flurry of political activity including Sen. Jeff Flake's retirement and McCain's subsequent death, has turned Arizona into a frequent battleground for Senate seats. As of now, political eyes are on Rep. Ruben Gallego, gunning unopposed for the Democratic nomination to replace Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who recently turned independent, as stated by AZMP. On the Republican side, Kari Lake is currently topping the list of potential nominees.
