REPLACING:

Kyrsten Sinema (I) [i]

WORK HISTORY:

U.S. House of Representatives (Member, AZ-03 / AZ-07); U.S. House of Representatives (Assistant Minority Leader); Arizona State House of Representatives (Member, District 27 / District 16); Public Affairs Consultant; U.S. Marine Corps (Marine) [ii]

EDUCATION:

BA, Harvard University [iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Abortion; Arizona Families; Economy; Education; Environment; Health Care; Immigration; Inflation; LGBTQ+; National Security; Protecting Arizona’s Water; Tribal Communities; Veterans; Voting Rights & Democracy [iv]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Gallego believes abortion is a “fundamental right” and criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s “devastating” decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In Congress, Gallego co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 and the My Body, My Data Act of 2023, which protected abortion providers and women’s sensitive medical data related to reproductive and sexual health, respectively. [v] [vi] [vii] Gallego has pledged to continue to champion a woman’s right to choose, “starting by waiving the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade.” [viii]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Gallego is “the proud son of immigrants” but recognizes that border communities “are facing a serious crisis.” [ix] He has advocated for “smart” ways to secure the border and reform the immigration system that stops the flow of illegal drugs into the country while also allowing for a “prosperous cross-border economy.” [x] While in Congress, Gallego has voted for bills that would provide funding to hire and deploy additional border patrol agents, secure the border and ports of entry, and increase resources for border communities. [xi] He also introduced and co-sponsored legislation that would prohibit institutions of higher education from discriminating against DREAMers and allow certain noncitizen servicemembers to obtain legal permanent resident status and apply for naturalization during basic training. [xii] [xiii] [xiv] [xv] In the Senate, Gallego has pledged to “continue to champion these reforms, and lead the way to a better immigration system for all.” [xvi]

ECONOMY & JOBS:

In Congress, Gallego has fought “to build an economy that works for everyone, and makes life affordable for hard-working families.” [xvii] Gallego voted for the CHIPS & Science Act, which provided funding to support the domestic production of semiconductors, among other provisions, and “is already bringing thousands of semiconductor manufacturing jobs” to Arizona, according to Gallego’s campaign website. [xviii] [xix] [xx] He has pledged to “lead the charge” to protect unions and workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain. He also supports raising the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour, which he calls “a common sense policy.” [xxi] Gallego has also worked to address inflation, supporting the Inflation Reduction Act and the Lower Food & Fuel Costs Act, a package of bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing corporate price gouging and lowering the price of groceries and fuel. [xxii] [xxiii] [xxiv] [xxv] [xxvi]

TAXES:

Gallego has advocated for ending “the system of tax loopholes and exorbitant giveaways for the rich” and is committed to making sure the wealthy “pay their fair share.” [xxvii] He opposed the 2017 Trump tax cuts, arguing that by passing the $1.5 trillion bill, Trump and Congressional Republicans had “pulled off one of the biggest heists in American history – stealing from the pockets of middle-class families and workers in order to line the pockets of the already-rich.” [xxviii] [xxix] [xxx] [xxxi] However, he has said he would support extending tax cuts for the middle class while discontinuing them for large corporations. [xxxii]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Gallego did not support the “defund the police” movement and has co-sponsored several bills that would increase funding for local police departments. [xxxiii] However, Gallego also said he would “push for the House to restrict the program that provides military gear to police departments,” and he co-sponsored the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act. [xxxiv] [xxxv] [xxxvi] He was outspoken about the murder of George Floyd and called on Congress to “immediately pass legislation to require independent prosecutors for all police related shootings & deaths,” as well as de-escalation and bias training for police officers.” [xxxvii] [xxxviii] [xxxix] He voted multiple times to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would address a wide range of policies regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. [xl] [xli] [xlii] [xliii]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Gallego believes action to address climate change is necessary and has made environmental issues a top priority. He voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which the White House touted as “the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever.” [xliv] [xlv] [xlvi] [xlvii] He has advocated for preserving Arizona’s public lands and has fought to protect the Grand Canyon and other areas from industry exploitation. [xlviii]

FOREIGN POLICY:

According to his campaign website, protecting Arizonans from threats, both foreign and domestic, “remains one of Ruben’s top priorities in Congress.” [xlix] Gallego is the former Chairman of the House Intelligence & Special Operations Subcommittee and has been an “unapologetic advocate for deterring Russian aggression in Europe.” [l] He has supported aid to Ukraine and voted for the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, an April 2024 bill that provided $60 billion to Ukraine “to defend itself against Russian aggression.” [li] [lii] [liii] Gallego has been a staunch supporter of Israel and voted for an April aid package that would provide $26 billion for Israel, including funding for its Iron Dome and billions of dollars for humanitarian assistance for civilians in the Gaza Strip. [liv] [lv] [lvi] [lvii] He has also recognized China as an adversary “trying every day to threaten the safety of Arizona families.” [lviii] In April 2024, he voted for a foreign aid package that included billions of dollars for Foreign Military Financing assistance for the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan defense. [lix] [lx] [lxi] As a veteran and the highest-ranking Latino member of the House Armed Services Committee, Gallego has worked to “ensure that members of the military are never again sent into harm’s way without a plan for winning the fight and caring for them when they return home.” [lxii]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Gallego supported the Affordable Care Act and has fought Republican attempts to dismantle the law. [lxiii] [lxiv] [lxv] In May 2017, he voted against the American Health Care Act, the Republican plan to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act. [lxvi] [lxvii] In Congress, Gallego has worked to lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. He voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped the price of insulin for Medicare recipients at $35 per month. [lxviii] [lxix] [lxx] [lxxi] He opposes the privatization of Medicare and “will fight every day to expand Medicare benefits.” [lxxii]

DEMOCRACY:

Gallego believes “American democracy is at an inflection point” and has opposed Republican legislators’ attempts to suppress the vote and overturn the results of free and fair elections.[lxxiii] In Congress, Gallego supported the John R. Lewis Voting Right Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, two measures that would protect the right to vote. [lxxiv] [lxxv] [lxxvi] [lxxvii] [lxxviii]

SOCIAL ISSUES:

Gallego has been a longtime advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, including speaking out against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell while serving in the Marines and fighting against the Prop 107 same-sex marriage ban in Arizona. [lxxix] He believes that discrimination “has no place in our society” and is “unwaveringly committed to fostering a future where everyone can live authentically and without fear.” [lxxx] As Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Gallego has supported the Equality Act, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in a variety of sectors. [lxxxi] [lxxxii] He has also supported the transgender community, voting against the so-called Protection of Women & Girls in Sports Act, which sought to ban trans women and girls from participating in women’s sports. [lxxxiii] [lxxxiv] [lxxxv]