- Ruben Gallego said the 2024 election proved Trump and Musk’s understanding of working-class voters.
- “They actually understand the consumer,” the senator told The New York Times.
- Gallego won his Senate seat on the same ballot where Trump flipped Arizona back into the GOP column.
President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have found a way to connect with working-class voters because they are “engaged every day” with them, Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said in a recent New York Times interview.
“They actually understand the consumer,” Gallego said. “They are engaged every day, one way or the other, in trying to talk to the consumer, and in this case it’s the voter.”
Gallego said the 2024 general election results “proved” the strength of Trump’s appeal with the working-class voters Democrats have also sought to win over.
When Gallego was asked why many voters concerned about the economy seemingly had little issue with an administration filled with the ultrawealthy, the Arizona lawmaker said personal wealth is aspirational for many voters.
“People that are working class, poor, don’t necessarily look at the ultrarich as their competitors,” he said. “They want to be rich someday.”
He said those voters would give Trump, Musk, and their allies the benefit of the doubt until they were personally impacted by governmental actions.
Gallego also predicted that Trump would face political backlash over the GOP’s long-sought tax bill, which could include $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and potential spending reductions for programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“That’s when you’re going to see people saying, ‘No, no, no, that’s not what I want,'” he said.
Gallego has only been in the Senate for a few weeks, but he’s no stranger to Washington. He served in the House for a decade, representing a Democratic-heavy district anchored in Phoenix.
When Gallego jumped into his state’s Senate race, it was unclear whether then-Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema would also run. This had the potential to create a three-way race, which could have made it easier for the GOP to win the seat. However, Sinema eventually declined a reelection bid, and Gallego faced Republican Kari Lake, a staunch Trump political ally.
Gallego defeated Lake last November even as Trump flipped Arizona red in his victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the key swing state.
The first Latino to represent Arizona in the Senate, Gallego outpaced Harris with Latino voters and male voters. The lawmaker attributed his success to his work to engage with voters everywhere, especially as it related to their economic concerns.
