Democrat Ruben Gallego running for Senate against Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona

The Iraq War veteran and Democratic congressman will challenge the newly independent incumbent Kyrsten Sinema

Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego announced on Monday that he would run against Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona.

Mr Gallego, a Marine veteran who served in the Iraq War, will challenge Ms Sinema after she announced her exit from the Democratic Party to become an independent in December. Ms Sinema still caucuses with Democrats.

“The rich and the powerful, they don’t need more advocates,” Mr Gallego said in his announcement video. “It’s the people that are still trying to decide between groceries and utilities that needs a fighter for them.”

Democrats frequently criticised Ms Sinema for being too close to the private equity industry and pharmaceutical companies. During the debate about passing the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats removed a provision closing the carried interest loophole would have taxed gains from people who work in private equity.

As one of the most prominent Latino Democratic members of Congress, Mr Gallego has frequently criticised both Ms Sinema and Democrats’ approach to Hispanic outreach.

Despite her prolific capability to pass legislation on guns, same-sex marriage and infrastructure, Ms Sinema angered many Democrats because of her caginess about support Build Back Better, Democrats’ social spending legislation that withered in 2021.

In addition, she and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia continue to support the filibuster, which many Democrats see as a tool for obstruction.

This week, Ms Sinema spoke at the World Economic Forum at Davos and reaffirmed her support for the filibuster with Mr Manchin, sharing a high five to mark the moment.

Mr Gallego criticised Ms Sinema’s appearance at the forum, noting how she has not held a town hall for many years, though he said he hadn’t decided whether to run.

“Kyrsten Sinema hasn’t held a town hall in Arizona for years. Instead, she flies to Switzerland for a town hall with the rich and powerful,” he tweeted. “Not a Joke!”

Mr Gallego served in the US Marine Corps and fought in the Iraq War. He also served in the Arizona state legislature before he ran for Congress and won in 2014.

Ms Sinema first won her Senate seat in 2018, making her the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Arizona in 30 years. Her win preceded President Joe Biden’s victory in the state in 2020, which coincided with Democratic Senator Mark Kelly victory in a special election to finish the term of the late Senator John McCain.

Mr Kelly won a full term to the US Senate in November, while Democrats also won the governorship for the first time since 2006, as well as the secretary of state’s office and the attorney general’s office.

In 2021, Mr Gallego spoke with The Independent about whether he would run.

“I’m going to give her trust on this because I think, at the end of the day, she’ll have to answer to her constituents. And for me, we can’t operate under this idea that nothing’s going to move. We’re going to do our best that we can,” he said.