(The Center Square) – Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego submitted his petition to get on the Democratic primary ballot on Monday morning.
Gallego, who’s a congressman representing Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, touted that his campaign did not use paid canvassers, and only “grassroots” efforts to get 14,186 signatures, which is more than double the 6,556 minimum.
“So I’m proud to turn in these signatures for us. This is a good example of Arizona grit, where we don’t back down, we stare at the fight and get into it,” Gallego said.
On the Republican side, Kari Lake is expected to defeat Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in the Republican primary, whereas Gallego does not have any major primary challengers. Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano was in attendance at Monday’s news conference where she spoke in support of the congressman.
The looming question in the Senate race is whether or not incumbent Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will jump into the race. Sinema won as a Democrat in the 2018 election against Republican Martha McSally, but she left the party in December 2022. The senator still caucuses with Democrats, and she has earned a reputation in Washington as a bipartisan dealmaker, even if her efforts like the recent border security bill have been unsuccessful.
“I’ve never really counted her out or in,” Gallego said.
“And I would say the one thing that I pride myself is it doesn’t matter whether it is Sinema or Lake, we are the only ones that are out there talking to Arizona voters all the time, everywhere, unscripted,” he continued.
According to a news release from his campaign, they will continue to gather signatures until the April 1 deadline to make a “supplemental filing.”
The primary election is July 30.
