Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03), who was once known for his staunch progressive positions, has notably shifted toward a more centrist approach as he faces Republican Kari Lake in a competitive bid for the U.S. Senate. Gallego, who built his political career championing far-left causes, is recalibrating his platform to appeal to a broader spectrum of Arizona voters. This strategic pivot comes as Republicans increase their voter registration efforts. Gallego aims to counter Lake’s strong conservative base by courting moderate and independent voters in this must-win key battleground state. According to voter data, Republicans hold a significant lead over registered Democrats, with July being a particularly good month.
Pundits say that for Gallego to win, he must reach independent voters. Arizona-based pollster Mike Noble highlighted Gallego’s transformation, telling ABC News, “Ruben Gallego is an incredibly liberal congressman… I mean, Ruben Gallego now compared to Ruben Gallego two years ago—you almost wouldn’t recognize him.”
Kari Lake said in a May 2024 press release, “Ruben Gallego is nothing but a career politician and political opportunist. Flip-flopping on the issues now won’t trick Arizonans into thinking he’s a moderate.”
In January 2023, left-leaning publication The Arizona Republic questioned if Arizona would elect someone as liberal as Gallego. They claimed he practiced “identity politics“ and was “harnessing a rising ethic wave” and banking on the Latino vote. The publication also said, “he is an unabashed liberal who has lashed himself to Joe Biden and all of his whale-like spending.”
Phil Boss with The Arizona Republic, questioned “How far will Ruben Gallego go to make Arizonans believe he is a consensus-building centrist Democrat and not the progressive fire breather he’s been in Congress.” Boss also used the word imposter to describe Gallego.
Gallego’s Personality Rebrand
Critics claim that Ruben Gallego has a history of making crass and combative statements on social media, often using harsh language to attack his political opponents. Over the years, he has referred to several prominent figures as “assholes,” including former President Trump, Representative Matt Gaetz, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Representative Thomas Massie. Pundits say these tweets reflect Gallego’s aggressive style and willingness to openly disparage those he disagrees with, often resorting to strong, unfiltered language that some may find unbecoming of a public official.
Gallego is known for frequently dropping F-bombs in his posts. His former unfiltered approach led him to call Senator Ted Cruz a “f**king baby killer” and label Representative Chip Roy as a “f**king weirdo.”
In a fiery tweet, from April 2021, he blasted a critic, “No you f***ing racist we have always been here. We are part of the Arizona culture. Take your submissive, diminutive, timid personality that can’t deal in the real world and go f**k yourself. I am more American than you will ever will be you racist piece of s**t.”
These instances are just a few examples in a long list of tweets where Gallego’s use of explicit language is extensive.
Pundits have observed that Ruben Gallego has toned down his language recently, due to the rebranded as a senator who can unite Arizona. Elvia Diaz, a columnist for The Republic, believes that Gallego “has a message that Arizona voters must hear.” She asserts, “we need a U.S. senator who can look toward common goals, not further tear us apart.” This shift in tone by some media figures suggests a strategic collaboration to help Gallego in his bid for the Senate, say political insiders.
Gallego’s Progressive Policies
Congressional Progressive Caucus: The Washington Post noted that when Gallego faced a primary challenger for his seat in 2018, he campaigned as a “real progressive”. According to The Post, he belonged for eight years to the Progressive Caucus. Gallego recently let his membership lapse, according to the publication.
Support for Immigrant Rights: The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said that Ruben Gallego “is doing everything he can to bury his radical record of support for giving voting rights to the millions of illegal immigrants entering the United States.” The group reported that last year, Gallego voted against a “House resolution that nullified a D.C. law allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections, but now that he is in the fight of his political life, he is changing course by introducing a bill on non-citizen voting.”
NRSC issued a statement criticizing Ruben Gallego’s introduction of the Voting Clarity Act, calling it an attempt to “pander” to Arizonans. The NRSC argued that Gallego has consistently supported “the far left’s most radical, open border policies” throughout his career in Washington, and that this new legislation was merely an election year tactic to appeal to voters in Arizona. They further claimed that this “pandering” was an insult to Arizonans who are dealing with the consequences of the border crisis, a situation they allege Gallego contributed to through his past actions.
Last month, Gallego voted against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which was designed to strengthen the requirements for proving U.S. citizenship before being allowed to vote in federal elections. The SAVE Act mandates that states must not accept or process voter registration applications for federal elections unless the applicant provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
Lake argued that Gallego’s vote aligns with an open-border agenda and undermines the integrity of U.S. elections by potentially allowing non-citizens to vote. Gallego’s opposition to the SAVE Act has been pointed out as contradictory, by pundits, especially given his recent introduction of the Voting Clarity Act, which aimed to clarify voting rights and penalties for non-citizens.
Border Wall: In a recent article by National Review, they highlight “Gallego’s shifting stance” on border security. The article notes that he was “once a vocal critic of Donald Trump’s border wall”, Gallego now acknowledges that “border walls are part of an overall comprehensive security” and refers to the situation at the southern border as a “crisis.”
Previously, he claimed the border wall was useless, a farce, dumb and opposed the use of Title 42 to expel migrants during the pandemic. The National Review noted that Gallego’s “evolving rhetoric” comes amid heightened political pressure. Before the expiration of Title 42 in February 2023, Gallego urged the Biden administration to allocate federal funds to Arizona to address the surge in migrants. Furthermore, three months later, Gallego pressed President Biden to declare an emergency at the southwest border to manage the consequences of repealing Title 42.
Lake slammed Gallego’s change in stance as “election stunts” that won’t fool the people of Arizona.
Environmental Advocacy: Gallego has consistently demonstrated his commitment to progressive environmental policies, particularly through his support of the Green New Deal. Previously he was vocal about the necessity for bold action on climate change, notably he has been less vocal.
The Progressive League of Conservation Voters endorsed Gallego due to his work as a “tremendous advocate for our clean energy future and for a more just and equitable democracy.“ The group said, “From his leadership to protect our public lands and waters to his advocacy for good-paying clean energy jobs, Representative Ruben Gallego has relentlessly fought for environmental justice and has championed the environment as a top priority during his time in Congress.”
Gun Control: The Arizona Lawmaker has been an advocate for stricter gun control measures throughout his career. He has backed significant legislation, including the Protecting Our Kids Act, which sought to raise the minimum age for purchasing semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years, implement stricter background checks, and ban high-capacity magazines and bump stocks.
Additionally, Gallego has been a proponent of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023, which would make it illegal to import, sell, manufacture, or possess semi-automatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
The Representative said in a town hall, “that owning a gun has become as much a part of Republican culture as “little cow nuts” on lifted pickup trucks.”
Ukraine: As a Marine Corps combat veteran, Gallego has taken a strong stance in favor of U.S. aid to Ukraine. He has led multiple delegations to Ukraine, and emphasized the importance of U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
Gallego has been a vocal advocate for substantial military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. For example, he supported a $60 billion aid package that included funding for military assistance, humanitarian aid, and oversight to ensure accountability.
“Ukraine, Godspeed and good luck I hope you f**k up lots of Russians,” he wrote in a 2022 tweet.
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Christy Kelly is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Christy on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Rep. Ruben Gallego” by Rep. Ruben Gallego.
