Senate hopeful Rep. Ruben Gallego flip-flops on policy issues ahead of November election in AZ

Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running in Arizona’s closely watched U.S. Senate race against GOP nominee Kari Lake, has backtracked on multiple policy issues, from non-citizen voting to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The five-term congressman looking to win Arizona’s open U.S. Senate seat in the November election has generally switched to more moderate positions on non-citizen voting, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, illegal immigration, abortion funding, and gas-powered vehicles since last year.

During his 2022 congressional campaign, Gallego touted himself as “a true progressive voice in Congress.” However, he allowed his membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus to expire last year, citing the increase in membership dues as the reason for leaving.

In the Senate race, Gallego is running against Lake, a Trump-endorsed candidate who was the GOP gubernatorial nominee for Arizona in 2022.

Gallego is up 4.6 points over Lake in the U.S. Senate race, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. The congressman is at 48% while Lake is at 43.4%.

As the Democratic congressman is polling ahead of Lake, his policy positions -- much like that of DNC standard bearer Kamala Harris -- appear to be moderating with the general election less than six weeks away.

Non-citizen voting

In February 2023, Gallego voted against disapproving Washington, D.C.’s law to allow non-citizens to vote in the city's local elections.

“I believe voting is a fundamental right reserved for the citizens of the United States, and I will oppose any effort to erode that right in Arizona and on the federal level,” Gallego said in a statement. “But Washington, D.C. is not Arizona, and I do not believe Congress should be in the business of telling the residents of Washington, D.C. how to hold their democratic elections.

“Today’s vote, if anything, is yet another example of why we need D.C. statehood, so those living in Washington no longer find themselves at the mercy of a vindictive Republican House majority.”

However, this past May, Gallego voted with 52 House Democrats and 210 House Republicans to prevent non-citizens from voting in Washington, D.C.’s elections, the Arizona Republic reported.

“I believe that only citizens have the Constitutional right to vote, which is why I voted for this legislation,” Gallego said, explaining his vote. “This bill made important improvements on the previous attempt, which was a half-baked proposal with dangerous implications, including the inability for American citizens living in D.C. to access our judicial system.”

Lake reacted to Gallego’s switch on the issue, accusing him of trying to appear moderate.

“Ruben Gallego is nothing but a career politician and political opportunist,” Lake said in May. “Flip-flopping on the issues now won’t trick Arizonans into thinking he’s a moderate after we’ve watched him vote for open-borders policies time and time again over his decade in Washington DC.”

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

In February 2020, Gallego signed a letter with 34 other Democratic Congress members that was sent to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging the Trump administration to restore U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In May 2021, Gallego called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as rockets were being fired from Gaza at the Jewish state.

“I strongly condemn the violence of the last week in Israel and Gaza,” Gallego said. “Both Palestinian and Israeli leaders must take immediate steps to de-escalate the violence and achieve a ceasefire in order to prevent further bloodshed and worsening of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“Hamas must immediately cease their rocket attacks that continue to target, terrorize, and kill Israeli civilians. As a supporter of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, I am grateful that U.S. aid for programs like the Iron Dome has saved Israeli lives over the last week.”

In the same statement, Gallego said he was concerned about whether Israel was being mindful of Palestinians' human rights.

“However, I am gravely concerned by the human rights implications of Israel’s evictions of Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah and the Israeli raid on the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem that helped spark this most recent conflict, as well as recent airstrikes that have claimed the lives of Palestinian civilians,” he continued. “Palestinian and Israeli leaders must recommit to working towards a long-term diplomatic solution that respects the human rights and self-determination of the Palestinian and Israeli people.”

Rewriting his history

Gallego’s statement was deleted from his official House website last October, following the Oct. 7th Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. After the attack, Gallego issued a statement, saying, “The unprovoked terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israeli citizens are alarming and horrifying. My thoughts are with the victims and their families during this unprecedented time. I stand with Israel and its right to defend itself from these heinous and widespread attacks.”

This past March, Gallego joined the Biden administration’s call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, while urging Israel to supply humanitarian aid to Palestinians more quickly, according to The Arizona Republic.

“When it comes to Gaza, I of course want a ceasefire,” Gallego said. “I’m heartened by what’s happening right now in terms of some of the conditions. I hope that Hamas will actually come to the table now and do that ceasefire.

“In the meantime, Israel needs to be doing everything possible to be rushing in aid. The holdups … they’re inhumane and unnecessary. You can have both security and provide for humanitarian assistance. I’ve done it. I’ve done it in combat, and Israel should be abiding by that,” he continued, referencing his service as a Marine in the Iraq War.

“It’s incumbent on the United States to always work with our allies — all allies — to make sure that they are doing what’s in the best interest of civilians, limiting civilian casualties as well as making sure that as friends of Israel that we are looking out for their long-term survival as well as standing within this world,” Gallego added.

Border

In August 2018, during the Trump administration, Gallego posted on X, “If you are a US government official and you are deporting Americans be warned. When the worm turns you will not be safe because you were just following orders. You do not have to take part in illegal acts ordered by this President's administration.”

Gallego voted against the POLICE Act of 2023, which would have made it a deportable offense for non-citizens who assault “a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.” Signalling a pitch to centrist voters, this past May Gallego voted for the Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act.

Abortion funding

In August 2022, Gallego co-sponsored the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022, which would have provided $300 million for each fiscal year from 2023 through 2027 in “grants to eligible entities to pay for travel-related expenses and logistical support for individuals with respect to accessing abortion services, and for other purposes.”

The bill died in the House of Representatives, but was revived in 2023. Gallego did not co-sponsor the 2023 bill, which increased the grant funds to $350 million “for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.”

Gas-powered vehicles

In September 2023, Gallego voted against the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, which would have prevented states from limiting the sale of gas-powered vehicles. The bill was introduced after California decided to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, requiring new vehicles to have zero emissions.

However, Gallego sent a letter to President Joe Biden this past June, asking that he help lower gas prices in Arizona like he did in the northeastern states.

The Biden administration had released more than 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve in May to lower gas prices in the northeast.

“[T]he gas prices faced by Arizonans remain consistently higher than the national average,” Gallego wrote to Biden. “Arizona families and business owners should not have to pay almost a dollar more than people in other states to get to work and move through their communities. I therefore request that your administration take similar actions to address gas prices in the Western United States.”

Both Gallego’s campaign and congressional office didn’t respond to requests for comment Wednesday.