Sen. Mark Kelly, Likely 2028 Dem Presidential Hopeful, Roots for Mexico in World Cup, Brags on Social Media About It
So, you’re Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. You came within a hair of being selected as the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2024 and have a reasonable chance of being its presidential candidate in 2028.
You also have a history of, shall we say, questionable allegiances. Sure, you served in the U.S. Armed Forces — quite admirably, from all accounts.
As a politician, however, you’ve been accused of fomenting revolt with the so-called “Seditious Six” video, in which six congressional Democrats, including you, called on current members of those same Armed Forces to disobey direct orders if they sounded too Donald Trump-y.
You also have questionable ties with a defense contracting venture that had ties to China, which, while potentially innocent, will still feature heavily in ads the moment you begin your campaign, both from Democrats and eventually Republicans.
You also know, along with the entire world, that the World Cup is currently happening in the United States, which is first among co-hosts with North American neighbors Mexico and Canada. The United States is still in it, pending a Monday night match against Belgium in Seattle.
You know that your Achilles heel in the 2028 matchup — besides having the general charisma of a high school vice principal trying to get ahold of a rowdy student body during an assembly gone bad — is how loyal you are to your country. Given that, whose uniform are you seen in public wearing?
This is a no-brainer: The United States, right? C’mon, greatest country in the world, and a country you definitely want to be president of. Even if our neighbors are in it, and your state borders one of our neighbors, you know better than to be seen in a soccer kit that isn’t America’s. This is just poli sci 101, am I not correct?
Lots of people out in Tucson to watch Mexico take on England. Tucson and La Rosa sure know how to do the World Cup! pic.twitter.com/XFqZLXC7Xv
— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) July 6, 2026
¡Esto no es ciencia política 101 en México, amigos!
In proof that certain people can’t get out of their own way, no matter what they heck they do, Kelly managed to score a social media own goal while watching the England-Mexico round-of-16 match Sunday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City from his home state of Arizona.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t have watched. In fact, as World Cup knockout games go, Sunday’s will go down as one of the classics, with England scoring a 3-2 win despite being down to 10 men because of a red card on Jarell Quansah. (Unlike a certain Oscar-winning performance by a Bosnian player in the round-of-32 match, which sent U.S. star Folarin Balogun off and would have disqualified him from the round-of-16 were it not for a last-minute entreaty to FIFA, this one was pretty much deserved.)
If you wanted to root for one side or another, fine: Do it at home. A day after we celebrated declaring 250 years of independence from the censorious Brits and a few decades into a frenemy relationship with a neighbor that not just can’t but won’t help us keep our border with them secure, there are issues with openly rooting for either one, especially if you’re on one of those border states.
What you’ll end up with is backlash like this:
Politician in Mexico? Nope – Sen. Mark Kelly (D) of Arizona, rooting for Team Mexico. pic.twitter.com/xDMZvdJRxf
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 6, 2026
This is U.S. Senator Mark Kelly in a foreign jersey cheering on a foreign nation. Simply astonishing. pic.twitter.com/NRzD5A3QRZ
— Lex_571 🇺🇸 (@Lex_491) July 6, 2026
Not a single Mexican politician was on Team USA in our matches yet here you are wearing a foreign country’s jersey. Disgusting.
— Canadians Crying Sparks Joy (@canadian__tears) July 6, 2026
Just go ahead and pay the $450 to renounce your citizenship, nerd.
— el_Tenny_gordo (@godzira10) July 6, 2026
What do we think about US politicians putting on jerseys from another country — in a tournament the US is playing in — and rooting for the foreign country in public? Zero percent chance any American sports fans I know would do this. https://t.co/MqOIF6ieK7
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 6, 2026
Therein comes the reason why this looks so bad for Kelly: Yes, one can have moments like this and still convince independent voters and sane Democrats that you aren’t just some fair-weather American but a serious patriot who’ll put his country, not his party or his interests, first:
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 18, 2025
This isn’t even counting China’s rather whopping investment in his defense tech company through CCP-linked corporation Tencent.
Yes, many of Kelly’s constituents may have Mexican ties and have been rooting for Mexico. If Kelly was serious enough about seeking the presidency in 2028, however, this would have been a good night to have a quiet watch party at home. So, either he’s not serious about running for president, or we have serious problems if this guy gets anywhere near the Oval Office. Unlike England vs. Mexico, I can tell you one of those outcomes is definitely better for Americans than the other.
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