Budowsky: Gallego for Arizona: how Democrats win nationally

The decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) to leave the Democratic Party has triggered strong emotions, and much speculation, throughout Arizona politics. 

One of the most fascinating developments has been the emergence of Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who is consulting with his family and supporters about whether he should run for her seat in 2024, and beginning to bring key players who could help him. 

I agree with the views of President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who chose to keep Sinema on her committees. For the immediate future, observers throughout official Washington will be watching how she conducts herself. She should be warned: many Republicans will praise her and give her campaign money, but their motive is to hurt Democrats, and they will oppose her if she runs in 2024. 

I hope Gallego decides to run and will support him enthusiastically if he does. Who he is, what he stands for and how he campaigns could offer an energizing force and ability to expand the Democratic base, which could be a model for all Democratic candidates. 

He would strengthen Democrats with Hispanic voters, appeal to active-duty troops and veterans, excite young voters, win support from blue-collar workers of all races and project a powerful spirit of service. 

Today in Arizona and throughout America, democracy is under attack. There is a powerful desire for leaders of integrity who rise above personal interests to stand for that spirit of public service — for leaders who put the interests of the people ahead of special interests, political selfishness, financial greed or opportunism. 

Throughout his life and career, Gallego has been the epitome of a spirit of service. After he graduated from Harvard, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served with courage. Every day since he returned home, he has been devoutly focused on helping and supporting his brothers and sisters who served with him, and every veteran who ever served. 

Gallego deeply believes, and has incorporated into the major events of his career, the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis. Always faithful. To his country, his democracy, his family and his community. 

As the son of immigrants from south of our border, he lived the American dream. He worked at low-wage jobs even while he studied at Harvard. He worked his way up. He never forgot where he came from. He always fights for working people, jobless workers, the poor, those who urgently need higher minimum wage and those who want decent health care. 

When Gallego criticizes Sinema for giving a nationally televised thumbs down against a vote for a higher minimum wage, putting the interests of her Wall Street donors ahead of interests of her Arizona working-class constituents, or working to kill voting rights legislation by supporting the same filibusters abused in darker days against civil rights, his sincerity shines through.  

The reason that Democrats performed so brilliantly in the recent midterms, including in Arizona, is that the proposals Biden and Democrats advocated for were supported not merely by liberals but by majorities of voters, including independents and moderate Republicans who reject right-wing extremists and election deniers. 

While House Republicans are repeating mistakes made by GOP candidates who performed disastrously in the midterms, Gallego embodies and builds on the reasons Democrats performed so well. 

He brings people together and lifts people up. He practices a noble brand of politics. Arizona voters can compare these qualities with any other candidates in 2024.  

Democrats nationally can profit from the example of Gallego, who has won between 74 percent and 85 percent of the vote in every House general election he participated in between 2014 and 2022. 

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives.