by Mary Lou Masters
Democratic Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego’s 2024 Senate bid spent thousands of campaign cash on luxury travel, private security and fancy restaurants during the year’s third fundraising quarter, according to financial records.
Gallego brought in $3.1 million and spent $1.9 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, entering the year’s final fundraising period with $5 million in the bank, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). His Senate campaign dropped over $3,000 on a luxury resort in Puerto Rico, $2,700 on private security, nearly $2,000 on fine dining in Washington, D.C., and thousands more on related expenses, the disbursements show.
The campaign made six payments during the month of July to the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel in Puerto Rico, which its website describes as “a luxurious modern hotel” that offers “exciting nightlife” and “world-class luxury,” according to the FEC. Gallego also spent $3,417.76 at Fontainebleau, a luxury hotel in Miami Beach, and $1,345.60 at the Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago, as well as $253.56 at The LaSalle Chicago and $137.70 at Washington, D.C.’s Waldorf Astoria.
Gallego’s campaign reported spending over $2,600 at other Hyatt hotels across the country in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, California and Washington, D.C.
The Senate hopeful also made two payments of $2,220 and $480 for “event security” in August to Affinium Security Protection LLC, which offers private, armed protection, according to the FEC.
In Washington, D.C., Gallego’s campaign dropped $1,430.31 at Del Mar, $329.45 at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab and $221.70 at Charlie Palmer Steak, as well as thousands more on restaurants across the country, according to the FEC.
For catering and venue rental in Arizona, the campaign reported spending a total of $2,461.73 at Borderlands Brewing and $1,191.30 at Greenwood Brewing, according to the FEC. Gallego also spent $394.66 at City Tap Penn Quarter in Washington, D.C., $274.20 at Ted’s Bulletin in Washington, D.C., $255.62 at Shelly’s Back Room in Washington, D.C., $250.01 at Parlay at Joy District in Illinois, $239.51 at Calico’s Kingman in Arizona, $236.44 at R&R Seafood Bar in Maryland and $230.98 at Southern Steak & Oysters in Tennessee.
Gallego is the only Democrat vying for independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema‘s seat in 2024, who has yet to announce whether she’s seeking reelection. Former Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake is also running for the seat, where she will face Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and several other lesser-known candidates in the GOP primary.
If Sinema runs, the election could end up in a three-way race with Gallego and Lake, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. A National Research survey released on Oct. 10 found that Gallego and Lake were tied at 44% in a head-to-head matchup, but with Sinema as an independent candidate, Lake won by 4 points with the incumbent coming in third at 19%.
Sinema’s seat is characterized by The Cook Political Report as in the “Toss Up” category for 2024, along with other contentious races in Ohio and West Virginia.
Gallego did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
– – –
Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Ruben Gallego” by Ruben Gallego.
