Ruben Gallego facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rubén Gallego
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Official portrait, 2025
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| United States Senator from Arizona |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2025 Serving with Mark Kelly
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| Preceded by | Kyrsten Sinema |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona |
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| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Pastor |
| Succeeded by | Yassamin Ansari |
| Constituency | 7th district (2015–2023) 3rd district (2023–2025) |
| Member of the Arizona House of Representatives | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – March 14, 2014 Serving with Catherine Miranda
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| Preceded by | Cloves Campbell Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Norma Muñoz |
| Constituency | 16th district (2011–2013) 27th district (2013–2014) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ruben Marinelarena
November 20, 1979 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 2 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) |
| Military service | |
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| Years of service | 2002–2013 |
| Rank | Lance Corporal |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Rubén Marinelarena Gallego (born November 20, 1979) is an American politician. He became a U.S. Senator for Arizona in 2025. Before that, he was a U.S. representative for Arizona's 3rd congressional district from 2015 to 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Gallego also served in the Arizona House of Representatives. He was the assistant minority leader there from 2012 until he left to run for Congress. He was first elected to Congress in 2014. His district covered parts of Phoenix and Glendale. He is the first Latino person to be elected to represent Arizona in the United States Senate.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rubén Gallego was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother is from Colombia, and his father is from Mexico. This makes him a second-generation American.
He and his three sisters were raised by their single mother. The family later moved to Evergreen Park, Illinois. He graduated from Evergreen Park Community High School.
Gallego then went to Harvard University. He studied international relations and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Military Service and Early Career
Gallego served in the Marines from 2002 to 2006. He was sent to Iraq with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. He served as a lance corporal. His unit faced tough battles, and many Marines were lost. His best friend died during these operations.
After his military service, Gallego worked in local politics. In 2007, he helped Michael Nowakowski win a seat on the Phoenix City Council. Gallego then worked as Nowakowski's chief of staff. In 2009, he decided to run for the Arizona State House himself and won in 2010.
In 2011, he was recognized as a distinguished new lawmaker. His first successful bill helped veterans living in Arizona get in-state tuition for college. He also supported repealing Arizona SB 1070, a state law about immigration. In 2012, he became the assistant minority leader in the Arizona House.
Gallego also started a group called Citizens for Professional Law Enforcement. This group tried to remove Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio from office. They were concerned about Arpaio's immigration policies. The effort was not successful at the time.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
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In 2014, Rubén Gallego announced he would run for Congress. He ran for Arizona's 7th congressional district. He won the Democratic primary election with nearly half of the votes. This district usually votes for Democrats and has many Latino residents.
He then won the general election with 74% of the votes. He was reelected three more times, always winning with more than 70% of the votes. He is the second person of Colombian American background to be elected to the U.S. House.
Committee and Group Work
While in the House, Gallego worked on several important committees. He was on the Committee on Armed Services. He also served on the Committee on Natural Resources.
He was part of many groups in Congress, called caucuses. These included the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Equality Caucus. He was also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for a time.
Becoming a U.S. Senator
On January 22, 2023, Gallego announced he would run for the United States Senate. The Senate seat was held by Kyrsten Sinema. She had become an independent, and some Democrats were unhappy with her.
Gallego raised more money than Sinema in the first half of 2023. Sinema decided not to run for reelection. Gallego won the Democratic nomination without anyone running against him.
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In the main election, he ran against Republican Kari Lake. Gallego won the election on November 9, 2024. He won by a good margin, doing better than the Democratic presidential candidate in Arizona. He officially became a U.S. Senator on January 3, 2025.
Senate Committees
As a U.S. Senator, Gallego is part of several important committees:
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
What He Cares About
Rubén Gallego has worked on several important issues. In 2020, the House passed his bill to help Native American veterans. This bill makes sure they get reimbursed for healthcare.
In 2021, another bill by Gallego passed. It helps provide more government money for veteran education. It also aims to reduce homelessness among veterans.
Gallego has spoken out against the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. He said this decision was "rolling back women's rights."
In 2023, the House passed his Native American Child Protection Act. This law helps set up a center to assist and train tribes. It also helps prevent and investigate family violence.
He voted to support Israel after the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Personal Life
On August 7, 2008, Rubén changed his name to Rubén Marinelarena Gallego. He did this to honor his mother, Elisa Gallego. She raised him and his three siblings on her own.
In 2010, he married Kate Widland Gallego. She later became the mayor of Phoenix. They divorced in 2017 and have one child together.
Gallego married Sydney Barron in 2021. They also have a child together. In 2021, Gallego wrote a book with Jim DeFelice. The book is called They Called Us "Lucky". It is about his time serving in the Iraq War with the U.S. Marines.
Images for kids
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Rubén Gallego speaking to a U.S. Army officer in 2017
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Rubén Gallego during the 114th United States Congress
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