Is Sen. Mark Kelly in or out of Harris VP search? Posts on X stir intrigue
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., posted a message on social media that seemed to imply he's not Kamala Harris' pick to serve as vice president − then deleted and replaced the post − fueling intrigue as Harris nears a final decision for her running-mate.
"I spent my life in the Navy and at NASA, where the mission always comes first. Now, my mission is serving Arizonans," Kelly said in a post Sunday evening on X, formerly known as Twitter, before deleting it about 30 minutes later.
Kelly, a former astronaut first elected to the Senate in 2020, was among at least three Democrats scheduled to interview in person Sunday with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, at the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were also set to meet with Harris.
More: Kamala Harris to meet Sunday with Kelly, Shapiro, Walz as final VP decision nears: reports
A spokesman for Kelly downplayed the post, suggesting people were misinterpreting that it referenced Harris' search for vice president.
"An Arizona senator tweeting about being an Arizona senator is not news! Go back to your Sundays everybody!" Kelly spokesman Jacob Peters said in a post on X.
Later Sunday evening, Kelly issued a new statement on X that read, "Whether it was from my time in the Navy and at NASA, serving in the United States Senate, or visiting our troops overseas: I've learned that when your country asks you to serve, you always answer the call."
The Harris campaign did not comment on the posts.
Other vice presidential contenders in the hunt are Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
A decision on Harris' vice presidential nominee will come no later than Tuesday, when Harris goes to Philadelphia to hold a campaign rally with her pick to kick off a multi-state battleground blitz.
The Harris campaign plans to notify supporters of her decision by text message − the same way President Joe Biden informed the public about his pick of Harris as his running-mate four years ago.
Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. Mark Kelly stirs intrigue about Harris VP decision with X posts
