Rep. Ruben Gallego emphasizes Latino support as Senate race set to move past primary
A day before Republican voters formally select their U.S. Senate nominee, Rep. Ruben Gallego offered a glimpse of the Latino support he expects to help shape the race to his liking.
With about 150 people from different corners of the Latino community around him, Gallego, who is unchallenged for the Democratic nomination, promised to be their advocate and keep the American Dream within reach.
“It’s easy to say Latinos … don’t have the representation they deserve in Washington, D.C. But I’m not just here to say it, I’m here to fix it,” Gallego said at a gathering at Casa Corazon, a Phoenix restaurant.
It was a message Gallego has delivered many times, in both English and Spanish, throughout his campaign for the seat held by the retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. What stood apart Monday is the timing and the audience.
Voting ends Tuesday in the Republican primary involving Kari Lake, the GOP front-runner, and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. Republican Elizabeth Jean Reye, a neuroscientist, is running as well.
Whoever wins that race likely faces a demographic shortfall with Hispanic voters that hasn’t been as problematic for former President Donald Trump.
It helps account for Trump’s consistent lead in Arizona polls before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Meanwhile, Lake, the GOP front-runner, consistently has trailed Gallego since Sinema said in March that she wouldn’t seek a second term.
Gallego, who is Latino, drew members of the Hispanic business community, veterans, students and government workers on Monday in a reminder that he expects unrivaled strength from Latino voters in November.
He choked up as he talked about the diverse audiences across the state he’s reached out to about the uphill climb in his life on the way to Congress and a promise he won’t forget them.
“I’ve been telling them, and I’ll continue telling them, they will have someone who will fight for them because everyone needs someone in their life to fight for them,” Gallego said.
Gallego and Lake have each reached out to Latinos across the state. Lake has repeatedly noted that her husband is Hispanic, and she has sat for interviews with Spanish-language media and held events in border communities, such as Nogales.
After Gallego held an event at a Glendale boxing gym in May, Lake held an event weeks later in Goodyear.
But there are questions about how deeply she can reach that demographic.
Jorge Maldonado, the mayor of Nogales, appeared with Lake at a rally of hers in November, but earlier this month endorsed Gallego.
Asked about the changes to the Democratic presidential ticket, Gallego said, “no doubt” that Vice President Kamala Harris has energized the campaign as the presumptive Democratic nominee, and he said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., could add “even more energy” as her running mate.
He said Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance's 2021 description of Democrats as “childless cat ladies” was “weird comments,” echoing his party's latest message against Trump and Vance. Vance is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Arizona on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Ruben Gallego touts Latino support as Senate primary ends
