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Rep. Ruben Gallego Launches Bid To Oust Sen. Krysten Sinema

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) attends a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting to discuss committee matters on Capitol Hill on October 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. The committee met to discuss topics including amendments to the Inspector General Act of 1978 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and to vote on several nominations to security posts. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) announced he would run against Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) in her 2024 election.

Gallego, a former marine who served in Iraq, would be Arizona’s first Latino Senator. He posted a video talking to veterans at the American Legion post in Guadalupe, Arizona.

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“You’re the first group of people that are hearing this besides my family,” he said in the video. “I will be challenging Kyrsten Sinema for the United States Senate, and I need all of your support,”

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Gallego has teased a potential 2024 run for the Senate seat. He has voiced frustration with Sinema over numerous policy stances, including her refusal to back portions of President Joe Biden‘s Build Back Better Plan.

“The problem isn’t that Senator Sinema abandoned the Democratic Party — it’s that she abandoned Arizona,” Gallego said in a press release about his bid. “She’s repeatedly broken her promises and fought for the interests of big pharma and Wall Street at our expense.”

Sinema, a former Democrat, switched her party affiliation to Independent after the 2022 midterm elections, denying Democrats the 51-seat majority they had secured in the Senate.

Sinema has yet to announce plans for a 2024 campaign. A Democratic challenger sets up a potential three-way battle for the seat between an incumbent Independent, Democrat and a yet-to-be-decided Republican.

Former Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters and former GOP nominee for governor Kari Lake are expected to be front-runners for the Republican nomination.

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Lake spoke at a rally, repeating false claims that her gubernatorial election was stolen. The ultra-conservative Lake also inserted a jab at Gallego in the speech.

“Have you seen the latest one they’re rolling out? The guy’s name is Ruben Gallego. He is the — we call him the AOC of Arizona. And that may actually be an insult to AOC,” she said, referencing progressive Democrat rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York).

The race for the Arizona seat will likely capture national attention, as continued Democratic control of the Senate may come down to this seat.

Ben Shimkus