Senate Hopeful Ruben Gallego Takes a Stand Against Iran After Years of Compromise

By Staff Reporter |

Congressman Ruben Gallego, a Democratic contender for Senator Krysten Sinema’s seat, publicly condemned Iran’s missile assault on Israel, which involved nearly 200 missiles during a two-wave attack. Both U.S. and Israeli defenses were largely effective in repelling this offensive on Tuesday.

Despite his current stance, Gallego’s record in Congress shows a history of voting against key measures supporting Israel. He has opposed funding for Israel’s defenses, sanctions against Hamas, and initiatives aimed at countering the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel.

“Today, Iran carried out a second significant attack on our key democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel, endangering the lives of innocent civilians,” Gallego stated. “The U.S. remains steadfast in its support of Israel in the face of Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.” His sentiment followed close to the anniversary of prior escalations in violence between the nations.

In the wake of this attack, Gallego faced criticism for previously voting against a funding bill that aimed to support Israel, which came just a month after widespread civilian casualties during a similar incident. In 2021, he once again rejected emergency funding for the Iron Dome, Israel’s missile defense system, and opposed sanctions on Hamas.

Additionally, Gallego’s ties to Qatar—highlighted by an $84,000 trip funded by a special interest nonprofit—raised eyebrows, especially given Qatar’s alleged support for groups that contribute to anti-Israel terrorism.

In 2019, Gallego opposed bills designed to condemn the BDS movement and supported funding for the Palestinian Authority, which has also been accused of financing terrorist acts against Israel. His legislative record includes voting to delay sanctions on Iran in connection with its nuclear agreements following significant attacks from Hamas.

Last December, Gallego condemned statements from the Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) regarding Hamas’s attacks, calling them “despicable and downright antisemitic.” He emphasized the need for accountability from CAIR, particularly condemning the celebration of the October 7th attack. “The October 7th attack was utterly evil, and any effort to describe it any other way is disgusting,” he remarked.

In recent months, Gallego has also supported an amendment to the 2025 budget restricting the State Department’s use of casualty statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry, a move that drew criticism from CAIR.