Left to right: Tammy Dana-Bashian, Club President Vicki Barber, Jim Sheard, Congressman Ruben Gallego, Becky Rodes, and Barbara McMahon (photo by Gillian Driscoll)
Three hundred people filled the Tuscany Falls Ballroom on April 3 to welcome Rep. Ruben Gallego to the PebbleCreek Democratic Club. Rep. Gallego is running for the Senate seat left vacant by Senator Kyrsten Sinema and will run against Republican candidate, Kari Lake.
Raised by a single mother, he worked in a meat packing plant to support the family, served with the Marines in Iraq, and graduated from Harvard. After serving in the Arizona House of Representatives, since 2014 he has represented Arizona Congressional District 3 in Congress. He vowed “not to let my circumstances dictate my future.” A champion of minority and Native American rights, he had just visited Arizona’s most northerly tribe and plans on meeting with all 22 tribes in the state in the coming months. He expressed that these people feel forgotten and listening to them and their concerns is important.
Rep. Gallego then opened the floor to questions. On abortion/women’s rights, he emphasized these should not be dictated by one’s zip code. He will work to break the filibuster and codify Roe v. Wade as a right. On the Middle East, civilians’ rights must be respected and hostages released. A two-state solution with well-defined borders is the way to resolve the conflict. On voting rights he supports protecting early voting, defeating election deniers, and codifying rights. On gun violence he feels that laws are too loose and none of us should live in fear.
Rep. Gallego has been to the border seven times in the last six months. He expressed that more immigration judges would process claims faster and reduce the current five to seven years wait time. More border patrol and customs agents will help, and comprehensive immigration reform is needed. The majority of people seeking asylum want to work. English is his second language and he understands the dilemmas of immigrants and that they make our country stronger. He believes the Dreamers, those who came here as children with undocumented parents, need a path to citizenship as they contribute to the workforce. Deporting them would be a great loss.
In addition, Rep. Gallego addressed the high cost of housing in Maricopa County. He supports a special program for first time buyers of 1% down and subsidies for starter homes. He addressed current living costs and supports raising the minimum wage and restoring the child tax credit introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic that reduced child poverty significantly. He helped pass the Native American Child Protection Act, first introduced by Republican Senator John McCain, with a unanimous vote in favor. He pledged to continue working with Republicans on many issues. He believes in serving people and asked us to “save this country by voting.” His speech received a standing ovation and gratitude for taking time out of his schedule to attend.
The PebbleCreek Democratic Club meets on the first Wednesday of the month at Tuscany Falls Ballroom; 6 p.m. for social hour and 7 p.m. for the meeting.