Ruben Gallego Rallies GOP Allies in Arizona Senate Showdown with Kari Lake

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego is gaining ground with Republican backing for his Senate campaign as he works to build a successful coalition in the swing state.

On Sunday, Gallego released a list of 39 Republican and independent supporters, including moderate Republicans and former elected officials or business leaders. Among them were former aides to the late Senator John McCain, known for his occasional defiance of the Republican Party.

Gallego’s Republican opponent, Kari Lake, has previously criticized McCain, labeling him a “loser.”

Arizona, long a GOP stronghold, has seen Democrats making gains. Though Republicans still have more registered voters, figures like President Joe Biden, Senator Mark Kelly, and Governor Katie Hobbs have managed to secure narrow wins by uniting Democrats, dominating independent voters, and earning support from anti-Trump Republicans.

Data from AP VoteCast revealed that about 60% of independents and 10% of Republican voters backed Biden in 2020. Kelly received similar support. In the 2022 midterms, around two-thirds of independents and 13% of Republicans favored Kelly, with Hobbs also receiving significant backing from independents and a minority of Republicans.

Gallego’s GOP outreach coincides with Vice President Kamala Harris’s launch of a “Republicans for Harris” group, seeking support from conservatives disillusioned with Trump. Harris’s campaign named nearly three dozen supporters in Arizona, overlapping with Gallego’s list but remaining distinct.

Lake, a former TV news anchor and staunch Trump supporter, has frequently echoed unfounded election fraud claims. She portrays Gallego as a liberal misaligned with Arizona’s moderate electorate. Lake argues that Gallego aligns closely with Biden and Harris, supports inflationary legislation, and advocates abolishing the filibuster for a liberal agenda.

Emphasizing his military service, Gallego highlights his time as a Marine in Iraq and his modest upbringing, aiming to widen his appeal beyond his securely Democratic Phoenix district. He underscores his willingness to challenge Biden, particularly on U.S.-Mexico border policies. Gallego views the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes to pass most legislation, as an impediment to critical issues like voting rights and abortion rights.

Mesa Mayor John Giles, a Republican endorsing Gallego, expressed disdain for party extremists such as Lake. “I cannot in good conscience stand on the sidelines while extremists like Kari Lake, who have hijacked our party for the sake of personal gain, undermine the very fabric of what makes America exceptional,” Giles stated in a campaign release.

Paul Hickman, a former state director for McCain, praises Gallego’s service and sees him as a continuance of McCain’s legacy. “Like my former boss, Ruben has spent decades serving his country and state,” Hickman stated.

In the GOP primary, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb secured around 40% of the vote against Lake, despite being heavily outspent, suggesting potential weaknesses in Lake’s Republican base.

Upon her primary victory, Lake extended an olive branch to those who voted against her, contrasting with her antagonistic approach in her 2022 gubernatorial run. “Republicans might have differences but agree far more than not,” a Lake spokesperson commented following Gallego’s announcement on Sunday, adding, “Ruben Gallego supports Kamala Harris 100 percent of the time.”

Associated Press polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.