Gallego made the announcement on Monday morning, tweeting a couple of videos, one in English and one in Spanish, explaining his decision, stressing his upbringing as a poor first-generation immigrant as well as his military experience.
"The rich and the powerful, they don’t need more advocates," he says in his announcement. "It’s the people that are still trying to decide between groceries and utilities that need a fighter for them."
Gallego's announcement paves the way for a potential three-way battle in 2024, as several high-profile Republicans, such as Blake Masters and Kari Lake, are reportedly also eyeing the position, the Washington Post reported.
Sinema decided in December to drop the Democrats in order to run as an independent, much to the shock of many in her party, stating that her "title of Independent is a reflection of who I've always been."
Gallego took aim at Sinema in his announcement, accusing her of abandoning Arizona and alleging that she has "repeatedly broken her promises, and fought for the interests of big pharma and Wall Street at our expense."
With Gallego's announcement, the Democrats are being forced to decide whether to pour their resources behind the Democratic nominee or the independent incumbent who for the most part supports Democratic views. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has tended to back independents who caucus with Democrats in the past.
"The Democrat civil war is on in Arizona," Philip Letsou, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement. "[Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer has a choice: stand with open borders radical Ruben Gallego or back his incumbent, Senator Kyrsten Sinema."
Sinema has made herself unpopular with some democrats following some high-profile breaks with the party line, but she has also been pivotal in negotiating bipartisan legislation, including a gun control bill.
When asked about Gallego's run for the Senate seat, she responded saying, "I'm not really thinking or talking about the election right now, although others are. I'm staying focused on the work."
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy