Sen. Mark Kelly has increased his fundraising and political contributions ahead of the 2026 midterms. He is using his rising profile as a frequent target of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to raise money for competitive Democrats nationwide.
Last year, Kelly directed nearly $5 million to candidates, party committees, and state parties, according to figures shared with POLITICO and summarized in Playbook. As an Arizona Democrat and Navy veteran, he is gaining more attention in Washington as a possible national contender while Democrats seek new faces to support key races.
Since late November, Trump has repeatedly targeted Kelly and other Democrats focused on national security. He posted on Truth Social, accusing them of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” after they released a video reminding service members they can refuse illegal orders. The Pentagon, under Hegseth, opened an investigation related to that video, a rare action directed at a sitting U.S. senator, according to reports at the time.
Kelly has capitalized on this attention to boost his efforts as a party fundraiser. The Playbook summary noted that he contributed over $1 million directly to Democrats. This raised his total direct giving to more than $1.4 million for 2025, including $100,000 each to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, along with more than $280,000 in total to the Democratic National Committee and state parties.
The summary also indicated that Kelly, who serves as a vice chair of the DSCC, has raised or contributed more than $2.3 million for the DSCC since the beginning of last year. In just the fourth quarter, he brought in another $1 million for other Democrats through fundraising emails, text messages, and ads.
Kelly has also expanded his political network through contributions to state parties and travel. According to the Playbook summary, he contributed to about 30 state parties, including key early presidential nominating states like Iowa, Michigan, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. He has traveled to South Carolina, Michigan, and Nevada.
This fundraising drive coincides with Kelly’s conflict with the Trump administration related to his military service. The Guardian reported this month that Hegseth formally censured Kelly and began proceedings that could impact his retired rank and pension. This action stemmed from the “illegal orders” video and the administration’s claim that it disrupted military discipline.
Trump’s attacks, featuring the “punishable by death” language, drew criticism from Democrats and outside groups and sparked fresh discussions about threats against public officials. Kelly argues that the administration is using government power to intimidate critics, while the Pentagon states it is investigating claims of misconduct related to the video.
With the 2026 elections expected to hinge on narrow margins in both chambers, Democrats are relying heavily on national fundraisers to help candidates and party committees gain early financial advantages. Kelly’s contributions and travel, as detailed in the Playbook summary, position him as a key fundraiser in a cycle that will assess Democratic resources across House districts and Senate states likely to influence control of Congress.
