As Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego tries to reach working class voters in a way he says the Democrats were unable to in 2024, he looks forward to 2028.

Phoenix

Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, only months into his first Senate term, has been making early visits to factories and community events, aiming to connect with working-class voters. Gallego, who has a background in the meat processing industry and military service, emphasizes the importance of Democrats engaging with people in traditionally Republican areas.

While Gallego did not directly confirm any plans to run for president, his actions and comments suggest he is considering broader ambitions. He highlights the need for the Democratic Party to improve its appeal in rural America and to rebuild its base among working-class voters, as the party looks ahead to future elections.

Meet the politician already looking at 2028

In the meat industry, and in politics, this is how the sausage gets made. Politician stops by a factory for a meet and greet before sunrise and hams it up with the rank and file. But Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego once worked at a meat processing plant like this, and he can speak the language many of the workers prefer. Gallego is only eight months into his first Senate term. Why are we here? You know, last time, 2024, Democrats did not do very well with working class people. People actually are in these types of facilities. And one of the things I want to be hopeful with Democrats is for us to learn how to talk to people that are literally clocking in at 6 a.m. in the morning. That kind of answer signals he's thinking about a bigger job. But let's not dance around it. You're thinking about running for president, right? We're thinking about how we're going to be able to win as many places as possible to help me get some friends in the Senate and Congress to restore some sanity. And then maybe one day. Keep on fishing. You ain't getting, I ain't biting on that one. Long before campaign rallies and TV ads, these kinds of early, more intimate visits is what people who run for president have to do if they want to win these kinds of early states. My family and I are so appreciative of everything that this country has been able to do for us. 25-year-old Gallego has a Colombian mother and Mexican father. He grew up in Chicago, served with the Marines in the Iraq war, and came home angry. I was angry at the government for not giving us the equipment that we needed, the leadership that we needed, and then got back and the VA wasn't taking care of us. And it was all these things that really, you know, activated me more to think about, like, the local side of politics. There are still more than 1,100 days until Election Day 2028. But with polls showing Democrats more unpopular than ever, and without control of the White House or Congress, there's a void to fill. Former Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't ruled out another bid. There's generally a leader of the Democratic Party. You know, like, oh, that's the leader of the Democratic Party. Who comes to mind? I think there are a lot of, I'm not going to go through names, because then I'm going to leave somebody out. But other potential contenders aren't as well known. People want to live a life of their choosing. So through talk show appearances, podcast interviews, and visits to the state fair, they're trying to break through. It's too early, obviously, to talk about it. On the Republican side, President Trump believes Vice President J.D. Vance is his party's frontrunner. Certainly he's doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point. Gallego knows he has a day job to do first. He wants to help flip traditionally red Republican states back to blue. Had you been to this fair before? I've not. And to do that, he thinks Democrats need to spend more time at the fair and on the factory floor. I think the Democratic Party needs to make sure that we can win, or at least not get our asses handed to us in rural America, because we can't be losing areas by 90, 85 percent and still think we can win nationally.

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Washington

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Ukraine Invasion

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New York

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Jerusalem

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State of Rio de Janeiro

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Fort Stewart

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Hiroshima

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Beijing

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Kyiv

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Breakdown