Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona is poised to report nearly $25 million in federal campaign funds, positioning him as one of the Democratic Party’s leading fundraisers and donors as he weighs a potential presidential bid for 2028. Alongside maintaining a substantial campaign war chest, Kelly’s team disclosed that he has donated approximately $10 million to other Democratic candidates and party organizations ahead of the 2026 election cycle, including $2 million to the Democratic National Committee and $3.5 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Kelly, a former astronaut and the husband of former Representative Gabby Giffords, has established himself as a formidable fundraiser in a key battleground state, having won his Senate races in 2020 and 2022. His fundraising efforts surged notably following a public dispute with former President Donald Trump. In November, Trump accused Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers of “sedition” after they encouraged active service members to disregard illegal orders in a video. Trump’s comments, which included remarks about punishments “punishable by death” and references to hangings from the Revolutionary War era, drew widespread attention.
Legal proceedings related to the incident saw a grand jury in Washington reject federal prosecutors’ effort to indict Kelly. Despite attempts by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to impose disciplinary measures against Kelly, a retired Navy captain, a federal appeals court indicated it would not support such action.
Kelly’s increased public profile following these events has coincided with a robust fundraising stretch. He amassed over $25 million during the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 combined, and he is expected to headline the Ohio Democratic Party’s annual dinner next month.
Although Kelly insists that accumulating and distributing these funds are unrelated to any 2028 presidential ambitions, he has acknowledged he is considering a run. He noted the nearly $25 million cash on hand falls short of the financing required for a presidential campaign but also emphasized his strong fundraising capabilities would be an asset if he decided to compete.
“I’ve never had a hard time raising money,” Kelly said, adding that any decision about a presidential run would involve consultation with his family and an assessment of his chances of winning.
If he does enter the race, Kelly is on track to begin the year with one of the largest campaign war chests among potential Democratic contenders. By comparison, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey had reported $22.6 million as of April, while Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Ro Khanna of California, and Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut each hold eight-figure campaign accounts ranging from $11 million to nearly $17 million.