Liberal veterans group launches pro-Gallego radio ad in Spanish

Liberal veterans political action committee (PAC), VoteVets, is launching a pro-Ruben Gallego radio ad in Spanish, touting the Arizona congressman’s upbringing, experience as an armed services member and past legislation he introduced to lower drug prices. 

The one-minute ad is narrated by Luis Cárdenas Camacho, a first-generation Mexican immigrant and a Marine Corps combat veteran. Cardenas-Camacho worked for Gallego as a field representative from May 2017 until early 2019, according to his LinkedIn. 

“I fought for my country in Iraq, just like Ruben,” he said in the English translation of the ad, first reviewed by The Hill. “He was raised by his single immigrant mother on a secretary’s pay.  He worked as a janitor and line cook to help pay the bills and earned his way into college.” 

“But Ruben decided to do his duty and serve in the military first,” he continued. “Rubén Gallego knows what it’s like to have to fight to get ahead. That’s why he lowered the costs of the medicines for our seniors/grandparents. Improved the school lunch program for our children.” 

“Because like them, Ruben was a school lunch kid/relied on the program. And he helped create manufacturing and construction jobs that pay a living wage. My family and I will vote for Rubén Gallego for the U.S. Senate, because he will help all Arizona families thrive.”

VoteVets PAC is launching the $200,000 radio ad buy in Phoenix on Tuesday, according to the group. It is set to run through June 28. 

Gallego, a five-term House member, is running against Republican Kari Lake for the seat vacated Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), who initially won the seat as a Democrat but left the Democratic Party to become an independent in late 2022. Sinema announced in March that she would not seek another six-year term in the upper chamber. 

Lake, a former TV broadcaster, who previously unsuccessfully ran for governor, is competing with Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb for the GOP nomination. The primary election is set for July 30. 

In response to the upcoming ad, Lake’s campaign went after Gallego, calling him a “far-left” Democrat who supports “open” borders. 

“Ruben Gallego is a Far-Left Democrat who supports open borders, higher taxes, and Joe Biden’s agenda 100 percent of the time,” Lake’s spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “Arizonans are smart and won’t be fooled by his gaslighting.”

A recent poll had Gallego, currently a 3rd congressional district representative, up by double digits in the race.

The Arizona Democrat was leading Lake, a former President Trump ally, by 10 points, 46 to 36 percent, according to a Noble Predictive Insights poll released in May. He also had a double-digit lead with independents, 42 percent to Lake’s 26 percent, although one-third of those voters were still undecided.

Gallego, 44, who was deployed in Iraq, has garnered more support from other groups, with some making ad reservations for the general election. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus’s campaign arm made an ad buy last week, spending $1.1 million on Spanish digital, broadcast and radio ad reservations for September to back Gallego, who is of Mexican and Colombian descent, The Hill reported last week. 

Besides the Senate race, Arizona is also a competitive state in the upcoming presidential election that President Biden won by a razor-thin margin in 2020. Democrats are also looking to leave their mark on The Grand Canyon State’s House races, looking to unseat Republican Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani, both seats rated as toss-ups by nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report.

The Hill has reached out to Gallego and Lamb’s campaigns for comment.