As Congressman Ruben Gallego campaigned for a key Arizona Senate seat last week, he did something that may seem unusual to those who know him as a fierce liberal fighter. did. It was a calm tone.
Speaking to retirees in Goodyear, a politically divided suburb of Phoenix, Mr. Gallego, a Democrat, addressed the surge in migrants at the border, suggested the asylum system was being “abused,” and called for Border Patrol agents to be “abused.” He asked for further support. “Really focus on the bad guys.”
That was a shift from Ruben Gallego a few years ago, who denounced former President Donald J. Trump's border wall plan as “stupid” and accused him of “scapegoating immigrants.” This new message stems in part from an escalating crisis under a very different president, and a hint that a centrist slide may be necessary to win over Arizona voters. It expressed the recognition of
It is a long tradition for candidates of both parties to keep a cautious eye on the political center. But Gallego, who represents a liberal district in Phoenix and has a long history of identifying as a progressive, is redefining himself in a battleground state with decades-old conservative leanings. They may face tougher challenges than others, even through large courts. This week's decision on abortion launched a determined Democratic offensive in the state.
“In this era of hyper-partisanship, and state money going to Arizona in the Senate race, people are going crazy,” said Democratic Janet Napolitano, who served two terms as Arizona's governor in the 2000s. “It will end up brandishing stereotypes like this.” .
Napolitano noted that Gallego's status as a Marine Corps veteran could help him, noting that as a Democrat he needs to be “there to solve problems and be there to do that.” “We need to show that we are in the right place,” he said. Work hard and you will be there representing all Arizonans. ”
However, Gallego has some key advantages in Arizona.
The state Supreme Court's decision Tuesday that could reinstate an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions has given momentum to Democrats' attempts to put abortion at the center of November's election. . The decision, coupled with the possibility that a ballot measure protecting abortion access could be on the ballot in Arizona, had Democrats hoping for a surge in liberal turnout.
Mr. Gallego is also poised to run against former TV anchor and Mr. Trump ally Kali Lake, a Republican who is working even harder to broaden her appeal. Kali Lake's divisiveness and election lies led to her narrow loss in the 2022 gubernatorial race.
And when Joseph R. Biden Jr. flipped the state in 2020, a number of Democrats, including Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema and Gov. Katie Hobbs, who defeated Lake, were elected statewide. Arizona has been turning blue in recent years, including winning elections.
But whereas those candidates have spent much time cultivating a cautious, moderate and down-to-earth image, Mr. Gallego is politically aligned with young progressives and has been criticized for his profane social media posts. He has built a reputation as an outspoken liberal who hurts his opponents.
Gallego's success may depend on showing Arizonans a new side of himself. While Lake is widely known, Gallego is less well-defined in the state, highlighting her history as a physician while focusing on local priorities such as prescription drug prices and health care. You're being given a chance to sell yourself as a serious veteran who knows what's going on. Election denialists.
Gallego said he's up for the challenge of appealing to voters of all political persuasions, reaching out to Republicans and visiting red areas in Arizona.
“I didn't go to the easiest part of the state to be a Democrat, and I'm going to continue to do that,” he said in an interview last week. “I don't see it as a move to the center. We're here to talk to voters and we have to get their support.”
At the same time, Lake and his allies argue that some of Gallego's past votes and positions, such as his co-sponsorship of a bill to establish “Medicare for All” universal health coverage, are out of step with Arizonans. It is emphasized that they do not match. care program. his eagerness to end the filibuster in the Senate; His proposal to “put a scalpel” on military spending. and criticism of Trump's border wall proposal.
“Ruben Gallego is a far-left progressive who has accomplished nothing for Arizona in his 10 years in Congress,” Alex Nicol, a spokesman for Mr. Lake, said in a statement, adding that Mr. Gallego is a far-left progressive who has accomplished nothing for Arizona in his 10 years in Congress. He pointed out that he had voted for. If 100 percent.
Mr. Gallego is trying to deflect such criticism. His campaign notes that he has voted in favor of tens of billions of dollars in spending bills over the years to fund national security projects and hire Border Patrol agents, and that he has supported bipartisan support to tighten border restrictions. He supported the bill, but noted it was blocked by Republicans. Year.
His spokeswoman, Hannah Goss, said that Gallego has “always put Arizonans first,” attacking Lake's record on abortion and saying he would “do whatever it takes to gain power for himself.” Or speak out.”
Gallego also ended his membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus last year, a move first reported by Politico. He said last week that he was leaving the caucus because of rising dues, but he did not directly answer a question about whether he still considered himself a progressive.
“These terms are kind of D.C. terminology. I consider myself a person who has worked hard for Arizona,” he said. As for Republican criticism of his own record, he asked them to “bring it up.”
Gallego, who is running as an independent for the Democratic nomination, maintains a narrow lead over Lake in most polls, but Lake has made unsubstantiated claims about election fraud in 2020. He later filed a lawsuit claiming it was a key part of his 2019 gubernatorial election campaign. Reversing his own defeat after his defeat. Ahead of the July 30 primary election, Lake holds a large lead over his primary Republican challenger, right-wing Sheriff Mark Lamb. While she has fervent supporters, she is trying hard to win support from more moderate Republicans.
Mr. Gallego surpassed Mr. Lake late last year and is well-funded, having raised $7.5 million in campaign contributions in the first three months of this year. The total amount for the same period has not yet been announced. He entered the race well before her, maintained a busy campaign schedule, and vowed to visit all 22 federally recognized American Indian tribes in Arizona before her election.
One such visit was last week when Mr. Gallego visited the Yavapai Apache Nation reservation near Sedona. Courting the Native American voters who helped turn Arizona blue, he weaved through the mud and cottonwood trees of the Verde Riverbank, discussing the importance of tribal water rights with the president of the country's tribal council.
Gallego, 44, of Colombian and Mexican descent, has a compelling personal story. Growing up poor in Chicago, he worked various jobs during his teenage years while his single mother supported him and his three sisters on his secretary's salary.
He said it helps people understand “what people are feeling right now: feelings of frustration, hurt and betrayal.”
He attended Harvard University, joined the Marines, and was deployed to Iraq, where his unit suffered heavy losses. Dozens of Marines, including his best friend, died, and Mr. Gallego speaks candidly about suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder upon his return. He served in the Arizona State Legislature and was elected to Congress in 2014.
There are also aspects of his life that Republicans view as toxic. He and his first wife Kate Gallego divorced in 2016, weeks before she gave birth to their child. A conservative news organization is suing to have their divorce records unsealed. Mr. Lake accused him. About “abandoning my wife and baby.''
Mr. Gallego, who is currently the mayor of Phoenix, supports Mr. Gallego, who has remarried, claiming PTSD was a factor in their divorce. The two co-parent their children, and Gallego said “nothing comes out” of her divorce records.
Both Mr. Gallego and Mr. Lake say they are actively courting Arizona's large number of independent voters and moderates, who lost political ground when Mr. Sinema announced last month that he would not run for re-election. Some people said they felt it. Mr. Sinema's office did not respond to questions about whether it supported Mr. Gallego.
As Lake continues to pursue issues that favor Republicans among voters, such as the border crisis, Gallego's work could be split among independents.
Democrat John Lindstrom, 77, who attended the Goodyear event, said he supports Gallego. But he suggested that lawmakers will need to work to gain support from others.
“I think he's going to have a hard time when it comes to immigration,” Lindstrom said.