Sen. Mark Kelly is nobody's idea of an enemy of Israel.
The Tucson Democrat has voted in favor of arms sales to Israel consistently during his five-plus years representing Arizona in the U.S. Senate.
He's also received plentiful financial assistance from pro-Israel interest groups. Critics of Israel at a group called Track AIPAC list Kelly as the recipient of $4,461,823 in such assistance as of February, more by far than any other member of Congress from Arizona.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., asks a question Wednesday during the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings to examine worldwide threats.
But something has changed in American politics as a result, first of the war in Gaza, and now the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, accompanied by Israeli attacks in Lebanon. A Pew Research Center poll of 3,507 Americans conducted in late March found that 60% have a negative view of Israel, as opposed to 37% with a positive view.
It's in that context that Kelly did something Wednesday he hasn't done before: He voted to block sales to Israel of bulldozers and 1,000-pound bombs.
"First, let me say that I cannot and will not abandon Israel," Kelly said in a floor speech before the vote.
But then he went on to criticize the war in Iran, which he said is being fought "without a clear strategy and goal," as well as Israel's attacks in Lebanon.
"Supporting a partner doesn't mean that we cannot and will not ask tough questions," Kelly went on. "We can look at what's going on in the region right now and understand that this is not business as usual, and it is not making us safer."
"Under Prime Minister Netanyahu's government, we've seen an expanded war in Lebanon that is putting innocent Lebanese civilians at risk, and ongoing violence against Palestinians, and their homes being demolished, in the West Bank. All of this has undermined the path forward for peace."
Both resolutions to block the sales failed, but 40 Democrats voted to block the sale of $295 million worth of bulldozers, and 36 voted to block the sale of 12,000, 1,000-pound bombs to Israel.
Kelly, who was elected to a full term in 2022, is considering a run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028. Although he is not well known nationally, a new poll suggests Democratic voters view him as a highly electable candidate.
Yale University pollsters surveyed Democrats and Republicans about their favorite presidential candidates. The Democrats surveyed ranked Kelly as the second most electable of 20 potential candidates, approved by 70% of those surveyed. The candidate considered most electable was California Gov. Gavin Newsom, approved by 72%.
Gallego in maelstrom
Arizona's other U.S. senator, the Phoenix Democrat Ruben Gallego, ranked a distant 14th out of 20 in that poll, approved for his electability by just 41% of those surveyed.
Gallego
But that is the least of Gallego's problems these days. In the wake of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's sudden exposure and resignation for alleged sexual misconduct, Gallego is being swept into the maelstrom. That's because Swalwell and Gallego have been good friends and even roommates in D.C.
Opponents and former colleagues of Gallego have been alleging that the senator did something wrong, sometime, somewhere. But so far, nobody has confirmed anything, though that has not stopped eager speculation.
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House after several criminal convictions, has alleged a former Gallego staffer will be making accusations against him, but of course that claim comes from the mouth of a convicted liar.
As the storm around Swalwell spread to Gallego, a job posting went up for a press secretary in Gallego's office. Was it a resignation? Yes, but it long preceded the new hubbub. Gallego's Arizona Press Secretary, Taylor Tasler, had previously announced her plan to go to work for Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia.
"The Arizona Press Secretary posting was planned weeks ahead," said Gallego's communications director, Jacques Petit, sounding harried Thursday.
Honor for Honea
A bill to name a post office after the former mayor of Marana, Ed Honea, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Congressional District 6, would rename the office at 13355 North Lon Adams Road as the Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office.
Honea
Honea served three terms on Marana's town council and five as mayor. He died in November 2024 while serving as mayor.
The bill now moves on to the Senate.
Grijalva throwback
Adelita Grijalva made a brief reappearance in a Tucson Unified School District job announcement this week. The district is hiring a deputy superintendent, according to the announcement.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva appeared briefly in an ad for a new leadership post at TUSD, though she no longer serves on the district's governing board.
The weird part: Photos of Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo and Grijalva graced the top of the announcement. Grijalva was a longtime member and chair of the TUSD board, but hasn't served there since 2022. She won election to the U.S. House of Representatives last year.
The district took down the post after it was up for a short while. A LinkedIn job announcement said the second-in-command position at the district pays $120,322 per year to start.
They've stopped taking applications, so you can stow away that résumé.
