Former Rep. Gabby Giffords is endorsing Ann Kirkpatrick in the Democratic primary for southern Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.
Friday's move by Giffords and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, gives Kirkpatrick added backing in the district she adopted in order to run for the seat now held by Republican Martha McSally.
Kirkpatrick is also a former member of Congress. She gave up her seat representing northeastern Arizona last year to make an unsuccessful challenge to Republican Sen. John McCain.
Giffords was severely wounded in an assassination attempt in Tucson in 2011 that killed six people and wounded another dozen. She resigned from Congress the next year.
The Democratic field includes former state Reps. Bruce Wheeler and Matt Heinz, retired Pentagon official Mary Matiella, businessman Billy Kovacs and consultant William Foster.
