The Arizona Democratic Party (AZDP) did not respond to a comment request from The Arizona Sun Times on Monday after news of its $10,000 donation to the Senate campaign of Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) broke the same day the Senate candidate refused to answer questions about his voting record on Palestine and Israel.
Gallego was captured refusing to answer questions about his votes and public statements about either providing aid to the Hamas terrorist group or denying aid to Israel on Thursday in a video uploaded to social media by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).
The Senate candidate was holding a coffee and appeared to be engaged in conversation on October 18, as the video was recorded. He walked silently for the duration of the 31-second video uploaded to X, formerly Twitter, even as he was asked about his alleged calls to send aid to Hamas and deny it to Israel.
🚨 Ruben Gallego refuses to discuss his pro-Hamas record pic.twitter.com/qU3v6DNtlv
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) October 18, 2023
Reports have indicated the NRSC will support the Senate bid of Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who one poll showed beating Gallego in a three-way race that includes Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) running as an independent candidate. Lake shared the video, and wrote that Gallego “can hide now but Arizonans will hold him accountable on November 5, 2024.”
On the same day the NRSC uploaded its video, campaign finance records revealed the AZDP made two $5,000 donations to Gallego’s Senate campaign on September 30. The Sun Times contacted AZDP to ask for comment on the video, but did not receive a response.
After Israel banned Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) from entering the country and Palestine in 2019, Gallego called Israel’s decision “deeply harmful” in a post on X, and urged them to “reverse” course “at once.” Gallego did not tell The Sun Times whether he continues to hold this belief, nor did AZDP answer whether it agrees with Gallego’s position.
Neither the congressman nor the party said whether they were aware of newly surfaced video that appears to show Tlaib refuse to state whether she believes Israel has the right to exist. That video, obtained by Fox News Digital, appears to show Tlaib accuse a man of being paid by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he asked the question.
The representative also supported former President Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran. Jewish Insider reported that Gallego first expressed skepticism over working with Iran in a joint letter that outlined “requirements for a final deal” with the Islamic Republic, but ultimately determined to side with the Obama administration.
Gallego’s ex-wife, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and their son, are Jewish. The Senate candidate did not respond to a comment request with multiple questions about his stances on Hamas and Palestine.
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Georgia Star News and a reporter for the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
