Sen. Mark Kelly wins in Arizona, in key hold for Senate Democrats

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly has defeated Republican Blake Masters in Arizona’s Senate race. Arizona has been one particular of the hardest-fought battlegrounds this 12 months, following both equally Kelly and President Joe Biden received narrowly in 2020. That marked the very first time the state experienced two Democratic senators considering the fact that 1953 and just the 2nd time a Democrat experienced received the state’s presidential election since 1948. With Democrats having held the Senate by the narrowest doable margin for the earlier two a long time, this is a critically essential win.

Kelly was elected just two many years ago in a specific election pursuing the 2018 death of Sen. John McCain. Now he will have a full six-year time period.

Holy crap, what an amazing evening! Wherever do we even start this week’s episode of The Downballot? Properly, we know specifically where by: abortion. Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard recap Tuesday’s extraordinary outcomes, commencing with a crystal clear-eyed assessment of the challenge that animated Democrats as under no circumstances before—and that pundits obtained so poorly wrong. They also examine applicant top quality (however definitely crucial!), Democratic meddling in GOP primaries (good for democracy, in fact), and “soft” Biden disapprovers (loads of them voted for Democrats).