Biography
Ruben Gallego, born on November 20, 1979, in Chicago, Illinois, is a Democratic politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Arizona since January 3, 2025. Raised by a single mother alongside his three sisters, Gallego's upbringing instilled in him a strong work ethic and commitment to public service. He is the first Latino to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate.
Education and Military Service
Education: Gallego became the first in his family to attend college, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University in 2004.
Military Service: Motivated to serve his country, Gallego enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq in 2005 as an infantryman with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. His unit experienced significant combat, losing 22 Marines and a Navy Corpsman during their deployment.
Political Experience
*Arizona House of Representatives *: Elected in 2010, Gallego served in the Arizona House, where he advocated for Medicaid expansion and secured in-state tuition for veterans.
*U.S. House of Representatives *: Representing Arizona's 7th congressional district from 2015 to 2023, and the 3rd district from 2023 to 2025, Gallego focused on veterans' affairs, Indigenous rights, and natural resource conservation. He held positions on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.
*U.S. Senate *: Elected in November 2024, Gallego succeeded Kyrsten Sinema to become Arizona's junior senator. His campaign emphasized immigration reform, veterans' rights, and economic issues affecting working-class Arizonans.
Notable Achievements
Immigration Reform: In 2025, Senator Gallego introduced a comprehensive immigration reform plan aimed at strengthening border security and overhauling the immigration system, including pathways to citizenship for certain immigrants.
Veterans' Advocacy: Drawing from his military experience, Gallego has been a staunch advocate for veterans, focusing on issues such as healthcare access and support for veterans' families.
Indigenous Rights: As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, he held the first-ever House hearing on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and championed investment in infrastructure on Tribal lands.
Senator Gallego continues to serve Arizona, focusing on issues pertinent to his constituents and leveraging his diverse experiences to inform his legislative priorities.
