Print
Close
Buzz Aldrin picks Arizona Republican McSally over fellow astronaut Kelly
By Evie Fordham
Published October 25, 2020
Famed U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin appeared to endorse Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., in her race against retired astronaut Mark Kelly, a Democrat.
"Martha, check six - Mark? Buzz - over 100 jet hours in Arizona," the 90-year-old wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "12 o’clock is straight ahead. 6 o’clock is behind. Fighter pilots understand what 'check six' means in FTR lingo talk. Martha, wave as you move ahead past Mark, to 12 o’clock, and you win for Arizona!"
Aldrin is best known for piloting the Apollo 11 Lunar Module in 1969. Aldrin and fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong were the first two humans in history to walk on the moon. Aldrin is also a retired Air Force pilot and Korean War veteran.
3 FORMER ASTRONAUTS ENDORSE SEN. MCSALLY OVER DEMOCRAT CHALLENGER AND ASTRONAUT MARK KELLY
"Absolute honor to have the support of hero astronaut Buzz Aldrin in this mission!" McSally responded. "We must hold this seat, the Senate, and save the country. It's a dog fight, and as we fighter pilots say: Fight's On!"
Aldrin doesn't appear to be one of McSally's constituents, however — he was living in Satellite Beach, Fla., as of 2018, according to Florida Today.
Three other former astronauts endorsed McSally ahead of the special election.
Democratic challenger Mark Kelly, left, arrives to debate U.S. Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., right, at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in Phoenix, Ariz., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. (Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via AP, Pool)
"As former fighter pilots and test pilots, we know what it takes to get in the cockpit of a fighter jet for a test flight or combat: incredible determination, strength and grit," former astronauts Tom Stafford, Charlie Duke and Jack Lousma wrote in an Oct. 1 op-ed published in The Arizona Republic. "That’s why we support Sen. Martha McSally. As the first woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter jet in combat and command a fighter squadron, she broke barriers in the Air Force and the military."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News' inquiry to Aldrin's spokesperson was not returned at the time of publication.
Fox Business' Thomas Barrabi and Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/buzz-aldrin-martha-mcsally-arizona