In a fundraising email sent in 2022, Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego proudly described himself as “a genuine progressive voice in Congress.”
In 2018, he joined Sen. Bernie Sanders in his home state, jokingly remarking, “President Trump is going to build a wall. It’s called the progressive wall – it’s all my brothers and sisters holding hands to stop Donald Trump.”
When Sanders stepped onto the stage, he referred to Gallego and Rep. Raรบl Grijalva as “two leaders of the progressive movement.”
Gallego, who made a name for himself as a passionate liberal in his political career, is not embracing the same label as he runs for Senate.
In a recent interview with NBC News, Gallego emphasized his commitment to bipartisanship, stating, “I consider myself an Arizona member of Congress who works across the aisle with everybody.” When asked about his progressive identity, Gallego mentioned that he had allowed his membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus to lapse due to financial considerations.
“The Progressive Caucus has significantly increased their dues, and unfortunately, it affects the salary of my staff. As a representative, my primary responsibility is to the people of Arizona. This often requires me to navigate through various political perspectives.”
Gallego is facing the challenge of transitioning from a congressional district where President Joe Biden had a significant victory to a statewide campaign in a closely contested battleground. The Senate race in Arizona is particularly competitive, with the middle ground being sought after. Gallego’s campaign also includes pro-Trump Republican Kari Lake, who is vying to replace Democratic-turned-independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
Lake has wasted no time in targeting Gallego’s congressional voting record as a key point of criticism.
“He’s even more liberal than AOC. He consistently supports Biden by voting in alignment with him 100% of the time,” Lake criticized at a rally in Cave Creek in mid-March. When analyzing Gallego’s voting record during the 117th Congress, FiveThirtyEight found that the congressman voted in line with President Joe Biden on every single occasion.”
Gallego portrayed his record as aligning with the state.
“I take pride in my voting record as it aligns with the needs of Arizona,” Gallego expressed to NBC News in Camp Verde. He further highlighted the positive impact of his individual votes, emphasizing the legislation that has promoted tech jobs and enhanced healthcare benefits for veterans.”
Lake has undergone a significant political transformation. Back in 2008, she showed her support for Barack Obama by making a donation to his presidential campaign. However, she now identifies herself as “Trump in heels.” On the other hand, Gallego doesn’t typically bring up his likely opponent in the upcoming November election unless it is necessary.
The path to politics
Ruben Gallego, 44, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago under the care of a single mother. His father left when he was in sixth grade. With Mexican and Colombian roots, Gallego defied the odds and earned a scholarship to Harvard, where he pursued his studies in international relations. To support himself, he took on various jobs while juggling his academic responsibilities. Gallego’s determination led him to join the Marines and serve in Iraq.
Gallego, on the other hand, gained national attention in a different way a few years later. He emerged as a prominent and vocal critic of Sinema after she refused to back the party’s push to eliminate the filibuster, a move aimed at advancing voting rights and enshrining abortion rights at the federal level.
“She hasn’t held a town hall in three years,” Gallego pointed out during a 2022 voting rights march in Phoenix, following Sinema’s recent announcement on the Senate floor to support the filibuster.
According to Gallego, it is crucial that our concerns about the country and the necessity of the Voting Rights Act are heard.
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