Kelly made the comments at Crooked Con, an annual gathering hosted by Crooked Media, the company founded by former Obama administration staffers, in Washington. Asked about his presidential aspirations, Kelly said simply, "I am thinking about it."

He told the audience he has a decision schedule in mind but declined to disclose it, and said the matter has been the subject of ongoing family discussions. "We've had conversations; we're going to continue to have them," he said.

The question has followed Kelly for months. On Election Day, as midterm results were still coming in, he told reporters at a Democratic watch party in Phoenix that he needed time to reflect before deciding whether to run. "We need to get on the other side of this, and I need to spend a little time reflecting — am I the right person for this?" he said at the time.

In August, Kelly said he was discussing the possibility with his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and that her support would be essential. "She would have to be supportive. And she is. I mean, she understands the stakes here for this country," he said. "We gotta make sure we've got, whether it's me or somebody else, somebody in the White House that puts the American people first."

Kelly had said in July that he would wait until after the midterm elections to make a decision.

The former Navy captain and NASA astronaut first began publicly entertaining a presidential run after the Pentagon moved to demote him over a November 2025 video in which he and five other Democratic lawmakers told service members they have a duty to refuse illegal orders. In January, Kelly sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing the move violated his First Amendment right to free speech.

Any Kelly campaign would reshape Arizona's political map. He is up for reelection to the Senate in 2028, meaning Democrats would need to recruit a new candidate to defend his seat if he pursues the presidency instead.

He would also likely face a competitive primary. Fellow Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego has said he is considering a run as well, arguing in July that he is among the few Democrats who have won in red states and can speak to working-class voters, particularly Latino men. The broader speculative field includes 2024 nominee and former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and others.

For Arizona voters, the stakes extend beyond the White House. A Kelly presidential bid would open a Senate seat in a state that has become a premier battleground, and the decision timeline he is keeping private will shape how both parties prepare for 2028.