Ruben Gallego

Ruben Marinelarena Gallego /ˈruːbən ˌɡaɪˈɛɡoʊ/ (born November 20, 1979) is an American politician who is the U.S. Representative for Arizona's 7th congressional district. A Democrat, he previously served as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving as assistant minority leader in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2012 until his resignation to run for Congress. Gallego was elected to Congress in the 2014 midterm congressional elections. His district includes most of southern, western, and downtown Phoenix, along with a portion of Glendale.

Gallego was born in Chicago and is a second-generation American of Mexican and Colombian descent. Along with his three sisters, he was raised by a single mother. On August 7, 2008, Ruben Marinelarena changed his name to Ruben Marinelarena Gallego to honor his single mother. Gallego is married to Kate Gallego, a member of the Phoenix City Council He graduated from Harvard University in 2004 and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Gallego currently sits on the boards of Valley Citizens League, the Children’s Museum, and the President’s Community Advisory Board for South Mountain Community College.

After graduating from Harvard University, Gallego joined the Marines. After completing infantry training, he deployed to Iraq with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. 3/25 would lose 46 Marines and two Navy corpsmen between January 2005 and January 2006, according to the Marine Corps official website.

Gallego lost his best friend in combat in Iraq. His desire to help fellow veterans motivated the formerly apolitical Gallego to get involved with politics.

In 2011, he was named as a distinguished freshman lawmaker by The Arizona Republic. Gallego's first successful bill granted in-state tuition status to veterans residing in Arizona. Gallego supports the repeal of Arizona SB 1070. He considers education to be the most important long-term priority for Arizona. In 2012, Gallego was elected assistant minority leader.

He founded the group Citizens for Professional Law Enforcement, with the goal of recalling Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Gallego cited Arpaio's immigration policies and his use of taxpayer money to investigate Barack Obama's citizenship as reasons for recalling Arpaio.

Gallego works for Strategies 360 as Director of Latino and New Media operations. He also worked for Riester, one of the largest public relations firms in Arizona, and for Phoenix Councilman Michael Nowakowski.

2014 election

Gallego introducing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a campaign event in Phoenix.

On February 27, 2014, Gallego announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress in Arizona's 7th congressional district. Gallego resigned from the Arizona House in March 2014. He was not required to give up his seat under Arizona's resign-to-run laws, since he was in the final year of his state house term.

Mayday PAC, a super PAC seeking to reduce the role of money in politics, announced its endorsement of Gallego because of his impressive evolution on the issue of campaign finance reform. On February 28, 2013 Gallego voted against an amendment that sought to raise campaign finance limits for federal candidates and abolish all limits for state candidates, HB 2523. He has since been a vocal supporter of the Government By the People Act.

Gallego won a five-way Democratic primary--the real contest in this heavily Democratic, majority-Latino district--with 48.9 percent of the vote. He breezed to victory in November with 74 percent of the vote.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  • Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans