The 2020 United States Senate special election in Arizona was held on November 3, 2020, following the death in office of incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John McCain on August 25, 2018. Governor Doug Ducey was required by Arizona law to appoint a Republican to fill the vacant seat until a special election winner could be sworn in. On September 5, 2018, Ducey appointed former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl to fill McCain's seat. However, Kyl announced he would resign on December 31, 2018.
On December 18, 2018, Ducey announced that outgoing U.S. Representative Martha McSally would be appointed to fill the seat following Kyl's resignation. McSally was sworn in as the state's junior U.S. Senator on January 3, 2019, less than two months after she was defeated by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema for Arizona's Class 1 U.S. Senate seat. McSally ran to complete the term, defeating skincare executive Daniel McCarthy in the Republican primary. She faced former astronaut Mark Kelly, who ran uncontested in the Democratic primary. Primary elections took place on August 4, 2020.
Once a reliably Republican state, Arizona trended more purple in the late 2010s. Kelly significantly outraised McSally and led by about 5% in the average poll leading up to Election Day.
Kelly defeated McSally by a margin of 2.4% on election night, thereby flipping the seat Democratic. As a result, he outperformed Joe Biden in the concurrent presidential election, who defeated President Donald Trump by a margin of 0.3% in the state, but underperformed his polling average. Kelly became the first Democrat to win the Class 3 Senate seat since Carl Hayden won his last term in 1962.
Kelly was sworn in on December 2, 2020, marking the first time since 1953 that Democrats held both of Arizona’s Senate seats.
Contents
Interim appointments
Appointees
Jon Kyl, former U.S. senator, former U.S. Representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district and former Senate Minority Whip, resigned December 31, 2018
Martha McSally, former U.S. representative for Arizona's 2nd congressional district, 2018 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, assumed office January 3, 2019
Potential candidates not appointed
Kirk Adams, incumbent chief of staff to incumbent governor of Arizona Doug Ducey and former speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives
Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force and former United States Ambassador to Finland
Jan Brewer, former governor of Arizona and former secretary of state of Arizona
Paul Gosar, incumbent U.S. representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district
Eileen Klein, former treasurer of Arizona and former chief of staff to former governor of Arizona Jan Brewer
Cindy McCain, widow of former U.S. senator John McCain
Meghan McCain, daughter of former U.S. senator John McCain
Mick McGuire, incumbent adjutant general of the Arizona National Guard
Karrin Taylor Robson, businesswoman and incumbent member of the Arizona Board of Regents
Matt Salmon, former U.S. representative, 2002 gubernatorial nominee and former chairperson of the Arizona Republican Party
David Schweikert, incumbent U.S. representative for Arizona's 6th congressional district
John Shadegg, former U.S. representative for Arizona's 3rd congressional district
Kelli Ward, former candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 and 2018
Republican primary
Incumbent McSally faced one challenger: Daniel McCarthy, a skincare company executive. McCarthy's independent wealth was expected to set up a bruising and expensive primary campaign; however, McSally won the primary in a landslide.
Candidates
Martha McSally, incumbent U.S. senator and former U.S. Representative for Arizona's 2nd congressional district
Sean Lyons (as a write-in candidate)
Daniel McCarthy, skincare company executive
Craig Brittain, former revenge porn site operator
PT Burton
Mark Cavener
Floyd Getchell
Ann Griffin, former teacher
Josue Larose, 2016 Republican presidential candidate and 2012 Republican candidate for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district
Kirk Adams, incumbent chief of staff to incumbent governor of Arizona Doug Ducey and former Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives
Joe Arpaio, former Sheriff of Maricopa County and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018 (ran for Maricopa County Sheriff)
Doug Ducey, governor of Arizona
Paul Gosar, U.S. representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district (ran for re-election)
Jon Kyl, former two-time U.S. senator, former U.S. Representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district, and former Senate Minority Whip
Blake Masters, president of the Thiel Foundation
Curt Schilling, former Major League Baseball player and Blaze Media commentator
Democratic primary
Candidates
Mark Kelly, retired astronaut, engineer, retired U.S. Navy captain, husband of former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords
Bo "Heir Archy" Garcia (as a write-in candidate)
Mohammad Arif, businessman and perennial candidate (write-in) (switched to Democratic general election write-in candidacy)
Sheila Bilyeu, Democratic candidate for the 2020 United States Senate election in Oklahoma
Juan Angel Vasquez
Ruben Gallego, incumbent U.S. representative for Arizona's 7th congressional district (ran for re-election, endorsed Kelly)
Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State of Arizona
Grant Woods, former Republican Arizona Attorney General and former congressional chief of staff to former U.S. senator John McCain
Libertarian primary
Neither one of the write-in candidates received enough votes to secure the Libertarian nomination in the general election.
Write-in candidates
Barry Hess, write-in Libertarian candidate in the 2018 United States Senate election in Arizona and Libertarian nominee in the 2014 Arizona gubernatorial election
Alan White
Other candidates
General election write-in candidates
Republican
Edward Davida
John Schiess
Debbie Simmons
Patrick "Pat" Thomas
Democratic
Mohammed "Mike Obama" Arif
Adam Chilton
Perry Kapadia
Buzz Stewart
Other
Christopher Beckett, veteran (Independent)
William "Will" Decker (Independent)
Matthew "Doc" Dorchester (Libertarian)
Nicholas N. Glenn, Navy veteran and aerospace engineer (Independent Republican)
Mathew Haupt (Independent)
Benjamin Rodriguez (Independent)
Joshua Rodriguez (Unity)
Frank Saenz (Independent)
Jim Stevens (Independent)
Robert Kay (Independent)
General election
Debates
Complete video of debate, October 6, 2020
Results
Kelly won five of nine congressional districts.