Arizona election results: Mark Kelly ousts incumbent Republican senator Martha McSally

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Former astronaut Mark Kelly has ousted Arizona’s incumbent Republican senator Martha McSally as the parties jockey for the upper chamber’s gavel.

Mr Kelly, who is married to former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, will be one of two Arizona Democrats in the Senate, with Mr Kelly filling a seat once held by former GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

Mr Kelly secured the seat with 53.4 per cent of the vote, according to Associated Press. He won some 179,000 more than votes than his rival.

His win – as Democrats hope to push closer to a majority in the Senate – follows Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s victory in Arizona, which Donald Trump carried in 2016.

It's the second election night contest in which a Democrat beat a GOP incumbent. The other was in Colorado.

The Arizona race was a a special election to finish Mr McCain's term, so Mr Kelly could be sworn in as early as 30 November, when the results are officially certified.

Mr Kelly flew combat missions for the Navy during Operation Desert Storm before becoming a test pilot and later an astronaut. He flew four missions to the International Space Station.

He is the husband of former Democratic US  representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head and wounded in an attempted assassination during a constituent event in Tucson in 2011.

Mr Kelly's victory gives Democrats both Senate seats in Arizona. He will join Kyrsten Sinema in Washington.

Ms McSally had been a vocal supporter of Mr Trump throughout her reelection campaign but later her distanced herself from the president when trailing in the polls.

During a debate last month, she repeatedly refused to answer when quizzed about her support of Trump administration policies.

Mr Kelly ran on a more liberal platform than that of his rival. Throughout the campaign, he held a consistent lead in the polls and raised more money than his GOP opponent.

With Associated Press