Mark Kelly's deleted tweet leaves netizens confused about Harris' VP pick; ‘My mission is…’

Kelly's since-deleted tweet raised eyebrows, with netizens wondering if he was no longer a contender for Harris' VP pick.

Mark Kelly shared a cryptic message on X, formerly Twitter, seemingly hinting that he was out of contention to become Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick. However, the Arizona senator quickly deleted the tweet and replaced it with an amended version, stirring a debate about whether he is in or out of the race.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on July 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. Kelly spoke to reporters on Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance's (R-OH) recent comments on women and calling some Democrats "childless cat ladies." Kelly is reported to be in consideration as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)

Is Mark Kelly still a contender for Harris' VP pick?

The 60-year-old Democrat quickly shared and deleted a cryptic tweet on Sunday that read, “My background is a bit different than most politicians. I spent my life serving in the Navy and at NASA, where the mission always comes first. Now, my mission is serving Arizonans.”

Kelly's since-deleted tweet raised eyebrows, with netizens wondering if he was no longer a contender for Harris' VP pick. However, the former astronaut later tweeted, “Whether it was from my time in the Navy and at NASA, serving in the United States Senate, or visiting our troops overseas: I've learned that when your country asks you to serve, you always answer the call.”

Addressing the rumours circulating online, Kelly's spokesman, Jacob Peters, explained that the first tweet had to be deleted because it was largely misunderstood, according to the New York Times. Peters later shared via his X account, “An Arizona senator tweeting about being an Arizona senator is not news! Go back to your Sundays everybody!”

The Arizona senator's tweets came after his meeting with the Democratic nominee at her Washington, DC, residence. Kelly was also joined by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Sunday. Other potential running mates for Harris amid the veepstakes speculation include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.