Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) energized Iowa voters at a town hall in Davenport over the weekend, delivering a message of hope while also using the setting to put the GOP on the defensive.
âWhen you’re a politician that is choosing your voters, instead of being able to convince voters, you have a losing message, right?â Gallego told several hundred people, referring to the Texas redistricting battle playing out.
Gallego also knocked President Trump for the countryâs still high grocery prices and for Republicans cutting food stamps, a reference to Trumpâs mega policy bill, which cut food stamps and Medicaid to offset costs of the bill.Â
The Arizona Democrat said Americans were ânow sicker and poorer because of Donald Trump.â
At the same time, Gallego also offered a message of hope while traveling in the state.
âThereâs no governing coalition until we start winning here,â the Arizona senator told The New York Times. âAnd we know how to do it, I know how to get the message to do it. So Iâm here to, most of all, encourage the Democratic Party, because they feel a little down right now here.â
Gallego made several stops in the Hawkeye State, including a visit to the Iowa State Fair, amid growing speculation that he might be eyeing a bid for 2028.Â
Iowa has traditionally been on the early presidential nominating calendar, though Democrats knocked Iowa from its early perch last cycle as former President Biden sought to put South Carolina first instead.
Gallego is also expected to travel to New Hampshire later this month for several events, including âPolitics & Eggsâ event, hosted by the New England Council and the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.
Both the Iowa State Fair and âPolitics & Eggsâ event have long been testing grounds for rising political stars and potential White House hopefuls testing their message in early primary states.
Gallego has said heâs thought about running for the White House but maintained itâs not his focus right now.
