One Year After Making History as Arizona’s First Latino Senator, Gallego Reflects and Looks Ahead

PHOENIX - One year after Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) was sworn in as Arizona's first Latino Senator, he returned to American Legion Post 65, where he celebrated his election victory, to thank the leaders and community members who have stood with him in his fight for the country Americans want and deserve.

For more information on Senator Gallego's 2025 accomplishments, click HERE.

Read excerpts from his speech below:

"It has been a hard year, let's be clear. We've been going through a lot as a country, as a community. I think we all hoped that things would be better. […]

"The country we want is not what we're seeing right now. The country we want is the people in this building that are always putting drives together helping out our veterans, helping the homeless.

"The country we want is a country that allowed my mom to raise four kids on her own and send them all to college. That's the country we want.

"The country we want is a place where people feel welcome and safe and people can walk the streets without being randomly taken at any point. That's the country we want.

"We want a country where people have an opportunity no matter where they are in life. We want a country where people can start as the poorest of society and make it and be successful for their family. That's why right now you guys feel this level of disappointment, because we know that country. We've had that country. You've all earned that country, and we have fought for that country - many of us with blood, sweat, and tears. We will have that country again. That's the America we want.

"So I tell you right now, I know it's been a rough year. I know I may not have met all of your expectations, and sometimes I have let you down, but I tell you right now that I will always fight for that country that you want and you deserve. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for supporting my family, and thank you for continuing to believe in this great country. Because in no other world could I have been here.

"The chances of a boy being raised on the South Chicago - going from the floor of an apartment to the floor of the Senate is historic. It could only happen here in this country. It could only happen because you guys all believed in me. So thank you for believing me. Thank you believing in America. Let's keep fighting for that America that we want."

1/20/26