End Citizens United/Let America Vote, a prominent left-leaning political action group, endorsed Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) for Senate in Arizona, marking a shift after it backed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) in 2018.
The endorsement offers a crucial boost to Gallego as he prepares for what is likely to be a competitive three-way race for the battleground state’s Senate seat in 2024. The support could also provide Gallego some necessary monetary support during the expensive cycle because End Citizens United was able to raise tens of millions of dollars for candidates during the midterm elections.
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“Congressman Gallego will strengthen our democracy and put the needs of people first,” End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller said in a statement. “On the other hand, there is a senator who prioritizes donors over people, or extremist Republicans who want to overturn election results. Arizonans deserve better.”
The endorsement comes after Gallego announced a challenge to Sinema in January. Sinema, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent in December, has not yet announced whether she will run for reelection, but if she does, she’s set to face opponents from both sides of the political spectrum.
Gallego has so far outraised Sinema in the 2024 cycle, reporting a haul of $3.7 million in the first fundraising quarter compared to the incumbent’s $2.1 million. However, Sinema benefits from a large war chest, with almost $10 million cash on hand compared to Gallego's $2.7 million, according to campaign finance filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission in April.
The GOP primary field has not yet taken shape, although it’s expected that failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake will launch a Senate bid in the coming months. She would face Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who announced his candidacy earlier this month.
Gallego has emerged as the front-runner in the 2024 Senate race, besting Sinema and other GOP challengers in preliminary polling. Gallego leads the field in any three-way race involving himself, Sinema, and a Republican, according to a February OH Predictive Insights survey.
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There are a total of 34 Senate seats up for grabs in the 2024 election cycle. Of these, Democrats must defend 23, compared to just 11 for Republicans. The map puts Republicans in a strong position to flip some crucial Senate seats that could easily shift the current balance of power in the upper chamber.
The Senate seat in Arizona has been rated a "toss-up" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, making it one of the most competitive races so far.