A former astronaut may be gearing up for a Presidential run

Senator Mark Kelly, former NASA Astronaut and retired Navy Aviator, is being considered as a Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party.

According to the Federal Election Commission’s website, Senator Kelly has nearly $25 million in funds, well ahead of that what he would need if he was just raising money for reelection in 2028. In the last year, Senator Kelly has also become a much stronger voice for the Democratic Party in opposition to sitting President Donald Trump.

All of this leads to speculation that Senator Kelly could consider making a run for the presidency in 2028 instead of staying in Congress.

The former Space Shuttle Commander also hasn’t denied any intentions to run, but instead promoted to idea that he could. In an interview with the Raging Moderate Podcast, Kelly said, “I wanted to be the first person to walk on the planet Mars. I failed miserably at this. I didn’t get close… And so I haven’t made a decision yet. But I do things rather methodically.”

While that is far from a confirmation of his run, it’s a sign that he is considering running, and would be the first Astronaut to achieve to such a high political level.

Senator Kelly flew on four Space Shuttle missions, commanding two of them. He also served in the US Navy as an aviator and test pilot. Kelly’s twin brother, Scott Kelly, also served as an NASA astronaut.