Liberal group endorsing Gallego after backing Sinema

A liberal group that previously backed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) during her 2018 run for Senate has endorsed Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat running for the seat, for next year’s election. 

Tiffany Muller, the president of End Citizens United/Let America Vote, an organization focused on voting rights and limiting money’s influence in politics that formed from a merger of two groups, announced in a tweet on Tuesday that the body is backing Gallego in 2024. 

“Arizonans deserve a Senator who is willing to stand up to corporate special interests and look out for working families. That’s @RubenGallego and we’re proud to endorse him,” the group tweeted. 

End Citizens United, before the merger with Let America Vote, endorsed Sinema during her campaign for the Senate, with Muller saying at the time that Sinema would be “an independent voice for Arizona families and believes the people should hold the power in our democracy.” 

But Sinema has during her tenure received strong criticism from Gallego and others on her left politically over certain positions and votes she has taken. She most notably faced backlash during the previous session of Congress over her unwillingness, along with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), to remove the filibuster from the Senate for voting on legislation covering certain topics like expanding voting rights. 

Gallego announced his run for the seat in January, after months of slamming Sinema and speculation that he would mount a bid. 

“I think she clearly has forgotten where she came from,” Gallego said in an interview with The Associated Press, referring to Sinema. “Instead of meeting with the people that need help, she meets with the people that are already powerful.” 

Sinema, who announced in December that she was leaving the Democratic Party to register as an independent, has not formally announced if she is running for reelection. 

Gallego thanked the organization for its support, saying that dark money needs to be taken out of politics. 

“Our democracy is under attack by billionaires that fund MAGA extremists. We must eliminate dark money from politics to pass common-sense legislation that improves our lives. @StopBigMoney is at the forefront of this fight, and I am so grateful to have earned their support,” he said.