Democrat Ruben Gallego Torches Kamala Harris For Failures
Ruben Gallego, Arizona's Democratic senator-elect who narrowly defeated Republican Kari Lake last week, is striking a different tone in the aftermath of his victory.
During a recent interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Gallego admitted that Democrats have often failed to address the economic challenges impacting working- and middle-class Americans.
“Look, I think the economy is what really resonated with people,” Gallego said. “That’s what I heard a lot in Arizona. People were worried about the cost of everything. And some of the frustration was that we were spending money but not necessarily helping people.”
Before he could elaborate, host Jake Tapper interjected, asking, “Spending money like in Ukraine, you mean?”
“Yes, exactly,” Gallego responded. He noted the challenges of working across the aisle with Republicans but emphasized the need for Democrats to focus on tangible economic relief. “The biggest lesson here is that when people are hurting economically, they’re going to prioritize themselves first. That’s been the driver of change elections for the last 20 years. Democrats must remember to take care of people at the bottom line. You have to provide some level of economic security, especially for Latino men.”
Gallego shared a personal anecdote to illustrate his point: “Latino men believe they can work themselves out of any problem. I remember growing up, when I didn’t have enough money to travel home for Christmas, I just worked extra hours. I even put on a costume at a convention center and handed out leaflets.”
Tapper asked, “When you were a Marine?”
“No, when I was in school,” Gallego clarified. “This time, though, I heard many Latino men saying, ‘I don’t feel like I’m doing enough to provide for my family. I don’t feel like I’m bringing them security.’ Until we address that, we’re going to have trouble bringing them back into the Democratic fold.”
Gallego also criticized the Democratic Party’s messaging strategy, pointing to the reliance on Ivy League consultants disconnected from the realities of Latino voters. “A lot of politicians didn’t want to hear what was actually happening out there,” he said, highlighting his campaign’s early focus on border security and economic issues.
In the wake of their election losses, Democrats remain in turmoil.
The party lost control of the Senate, failed to retake the House, and saw Vice President Kamala Harris lose seven key battleground states to President-elect Donald Trump.
Polls suggesting a competitive race between Harris and Trump only deepened the shock among Democratic insiders. In the aftermath, Biden and Harris supporters have been trading blame for the party’s poor performance.
Harris supporters argue that Biden should have stepped aside earlier, with some citing internal polling after his poor debate performance in June. According to Jon Favreau, a former Obama White House official and host of Pod Save America, the Biden campaign’s own data predicted a landslide Trump victory with 400 electoral votes if Biden had stayed in the race.
Meanwhile, Harris’ team has faced scrutiny from Biden allies for its campaign spending. Despite raising over $1 billion, the Harris campaign is reportedly millions of dollars in debt following the election.
Gallego’s candid assessment of the party’s failures underscores the challenges ahead for Democrats as they grapple with how to reconnect with voters and rebuild their coalition.