Posted on 08/18/2022 2:02:49 PM PDT by Migraine
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly made a very brief appearance in Show Low on Tuesday.
His plane landed at Show Low Airport just after 10:30 a.m., and from there he was taken to White Mountain Performance and Horne Auto Center.
The reason for his visit remains unclear, specifically considering that President Joe Biden was in Washington signing the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act, a bipartisan bill that Kelly endorsed and takes partial credit for.
The CARES Act did come up in conversation between Kelly and Dan Macleod, the general manager at Horne Auto Center, along with water concerns affecting the state.
Macleod told the Independent that their conversation was “cordial and specific” and that his team was “professional and courteous.” He seemed happy to host Kelly, and confirmed that Kelly’s team reached out to Horne for the meeting. Macleod also mentioned that Kelly and his team were late, and opted for a more private meeting in Horne’s auto shop located in the rear end of the facility.
Kelly’s team may have moved the meeting place due to protester concerns. A small group of locals went to Horne Tuesday afternoon to approach Kelly with some concerns, but was not given the opportunity to speak with him directly.
The senator did separate a small amount of time to converse with a White Mountain Independent reporter, however.
“When you live in Tucson, it’s really nice to come up here,” he said, making small talk. He mentioned “the weather and the green trees” as two key things he enjoys when visiting the White Mountains. He was approached about Blake Masters, who recently won the Aug. 2 primary and will be running against Kelly for the Senate seat in November.
The reporter mentioned to Kelly that Masters has a substantial amount of support on the Mountain and that Kelly’s reelection campaign may have some trouble swaying local voters.
“I don’t see it that way,” Kelly said. “I represent all of Arizona — Maricopa County, Navajo County. Whether it’s in Kingman or Yuma, it’s all just about doing the job. As we get closer to the election, I think it’s important for people to know the difference between the two of us and they’ll have a decision to make.”
Kelly was sworn into office on Dec. 3, 2020, after beating incumbent Martha McSally in a special election and becoming the first Democrat to win John McCain’s old seat in more than 50 years.
“I’ve been working really hard for the past year and a half and there’s a lot of stuff we’ve been able to do,” he said.
Kelly specifically mentioned the bipartisan infrastructure bill that Biden signed into law in 2021, saying that it will “transform this country. We have failing infrastructure across this country, including Arizona. We need to upgrade our roads, bridges and ports of entry, like San Luis.”
He elaborated, saying that, with a rebuilt port in San Luis, the state could support more commerce and trade with Mexico and other Central American countries. “That means better jobs and higher wages in Arizona. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is paying for those upgrades,” he said.
Of course, the $65 billion price tag on the infrastructure bill has many White Mountain residents weary of supporting such a ambitious and costly bill.
“I look at it as an investment,” said Kelly. “Yeah, it’s some money upfront. But as we grow the economy because of those improvements, we get that money back.”
Masters may be a tough hurdle in the way of Kelly’s re-election, but he seems confident that Kelly’s past accomplishments and current platform are enough for him to hold the seat. White Mountain voters, and all of Arizona, will decide if that’s true come November.
Arizona’s favorite space shuttle bus passenger. What a jerk.
I have seen his commercials here in AZ, a real POS and he should be greeted with nothing but SIEG HEIL!
I don’t think he was honestly elected. Arizona would have not voted for a gun grabber. The elections were stolen from president all the way down to board of stuporvisors.
Maybe he’s in the market for a nice used campaign bus.
Agreed.
Kelly's policies are detrimental to all of Arizona — Maricopa County, Navajo County. Whether it’s in Kingman or Yuma, it’s all about putting Americans last.
Increased taxes, rampant inflation, uncontrolled invasion by illegal immigrants, gun control (easier to take guns away from law abiding citizens), allowing the politicization of the IRS, FBI, EPA, and killing babies when we have a depopulation problem. That is, there is no need to kill babies for population control when the death rate is greater than the birth rate.
Being a NASA guy you would think that Kelly would pay more attention to the science associated with climate change, instead of mindlessly blaming carbon dioxide that has nothing to do with climate change. Where is the call for a science symposium or debate over the causes of climate change? Taking action on a false premise is foolish and irresponsible. Another greenhouse gas is the cause of climate change, not carbon dioxide.
He’s just a placeholder with very little going for him. He’s got the personality of a cardboard box and knows his place, which is to rubber stamp the horse manure the dems roll out...
You are exactly right.
It sounds like Ron "Tater Salad" White set up his itinerary.
Yeah, those commercials look like they were made in hell (or some such place).
I agree and hope that the people of Arizona will vote him out.
What a lying scumbag! Wages in AZ will never go up with all the illegals streaming across the border! As a VIP “astronaut,” you’d think he’d have taken an economics course at some point. Such a dumbass POS!
I kid, I kid. Just a little joke between Sun Devil & Wildcat fans. 🤣
SIEG HEIL...indeed.
Here in golden vally I watch his commercials and he has, supposedly, repubs come in and talk about kelly’s accomplishments..
Sorry, this guy is China’s best friend
Time for Masters to go to work, especially with the Hispanic vote.
Arizona is 33.1 percent Hispanic.
I agree with you.
I hope whatever they have planned (for the steal), for the midterms. can be thwarted....ala Kari Lake’s primary.
Right.. Not the sort of place an odds on favorite would be spending his time on. White Mountains are delightful country but sparsely populated. Not that many voters there.
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