In being interviewed by Mika Brzezinski on Morning Joe, Senator-Elect Ruben Gallego stated that when he ran his Senate campaign that he talked to all types of voters on the campaign trail: Democrats, Republicans and Independents. He did this more than 12 months in advance.
Also, Gallego made gains with both Latino men and women in …
In being interviewed by Mika Brzezinski on Morning Joe, Senator-Elect Ruben Gallego stated that when he ran his Senate campaign that he talked to all types of voters on the campaign trail: Democrats, Republicans and Independents. He did this more than 12 months in advance.
Also, Gallego made gains with both Latino men and women in ways Kamala Harris did not in her presidential campaign. He targeted Latino men as a swing vote from day one of the campaign. What he was particularly hearing is that voters, particularly Latino voters, is that they were feeling the effects of the economy (including inflation).
To be fair, Harris had just a few months in her presidential campaign. However, in Gallego's Senate campaign, he was proactive in reaching out to key voters such as Latinos by focusing on the bread and butter issues. This gave him a truly distinctive campaign as a Democrat compared to GOP Senate Candidate Kari Lake, who offered nothing.
Assuming no major pitfalls for him over the next four years I Hope he takes a shot at 2028 but will leave it there to avoid primary talk. Makes winning AZ-GOV in 26 all the more important.
Doesn't AZ have same party appointment requirements? The governor picks from a list of three chosen by the state party. We want to keep the governor's office in 2026 but not in case a senator vacates the seat.
Actually, Gallego won by a similar margin as did Mark Kelly in the 2020 Special Senate Election race. Lake ended up doing better than Blake Masters did in 2022. Both open Senate races in 2020 and 2024 happened while Trump was on the ballot.
Agreed on Lake being a gift but I'd venture to say her margin of loss could have been wider if Trump wasn't on the ballot.
Because the fact that the environment is brutal for Democrats doesn’t translate to it being necessarily good for Republicans not named Donald Trump. The right wing propaganda environment is geared toward helping one man and one man only. Easier to pull off, and they think that’s all they need.
And the fact that Democrats have a Latino Senator who isn't representing a blue state speaks volumes as to how important Ruben Gallego is in the Senate. He can help Democrats get their voice to the Hispanic & Latino community better.
We also have Senator Alex Padilla representing California although he can get elected more comfortably being that it's a blue state.
In a state where the tipping point for the state House in 2020 was our loss of a “safe Dem” Hispanic legislative seat (we ran an unelected Black female appointee in a Hispanic majority district), no less.
AZ-SEN:
In being interviewed by Mika Brzezinski on Morning Joe, Senator-Elect Ruben Gallego stated that when he ran his Senate campaign that he talked to all types of voters on the campaign trail: Democrats, Republicans and Independents. He did this more than 12 months in advance.
Also, Gallego made gains with both Latino men and women in ways Kamala Harris did not in her presidential campaign. He targeted Latino men as a swing vote from day one of the campaign. What he was particularly hearing is that voters, particularly Latino voters, is that they were feeling the effects of the economy (including inflation).
To be fair, Harris had just a few months in her presidential campaign. However, in Gallego's Senate campaign, he was proactive in reaching out to key voters such as Latinos by focusing on the bread and butter issues. This gave him a truly distinctive campaign as a Democrat compared to GOP Senate Candidate Kari Lake, who offered nothing.
https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/i-talked-to-everyone-democratic-senator-on-his-strategy-for-winning-in-arizona-224745541636
A good role model for Dems to follow, in communicating with Latinos and others who are reachable but we can't assume we've got in hand.
Assuming no major pitfalls for him over the next four years I Hope he takes a shot at 2028 but will leave it there to avoid primary talk. Makes winning AZ-GOV in 26 all the more important.
Doesn't AZ have same party appointment requirements? The governor picks from a list of three chosen by the state party. We want to keep the governor's office in 2026 but not in case a senator vacates the seat.
You're right my bad.
They have same party requirement, but for replacing US senator, it's the governor's choice. The party doesn't pick the replacement.
Being a Latino gave him a advantage that Harris didn’t have.
As did being a man.
no disrespect to Gallego, but he was given a gift in the form of Lake (can't believe we'll be seeing her again; maybe Trump will give her a gig ??)
Actually, Gallego won by a similar margin as did Mark Kelly in the 2020 Special Senate Election race. Lake ended up doing better than Blake Masters did in 2022. Both open Senate races in 2020 and 2024 happened while Trump was on the ballot.
Agreed on Lake being a gift but I'd venture to say her margin of loss could have been wider if Trump wasn't on the ballot.
anyone but Lake most likely wins is my main point; this environment is brutal for the Democratic party yet we did relatively well in it
Because the fact that the environment is brutal for Democrats doesn’t translate to it being necessarily good for Republicans not named Donald Trump. The right wing propaganda environment is geared toward helping one man and one man only. Easier to pull off, and they think that’s all they need.
which tells me that 2026 will be an especially good midterm for Democrats
For starters, I'm looking forward to seeing how many House seats Democrats will be able to pick up in 2026.
The Senate seats are another matter all together.
That is true!
And the fact that Democrats have a Latino Senator who isn't representing a blue state speaks volumes as to how important Ruben Gallego is in the Senate. He can help Democrats get their voice to the Hispanic & Latino community better.
We also have Senator Alex Padilla representing California although he can get elected more comfortably being that it's a blue state.
Ehh his last name guaranteed he'd do better than Harris with latinos and especially latino men.
It's just so hard to believe that a Latino man would do better with Latino voters than an African American woman.
In a state where the tipping point for the state House in 2020 was our loss of a “safe Dem” Hispanic legislative seat (we ran an unelected Black female appointee in a Hispanic majority district), no less.