Newly elected US Sen. Ruben Gallego hopes his family background will inspire troubled kids

PHOENIX — Newly elected U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego hopes he’ll be a success story for children who come from difficult backgrounds.

His Republican opponent in the general election, Kari Lake, used his background as a cudgel leading up to the Nov. 5 general election, bringing up his divorce and his father’s criminal history.

It was hurtful, Gallego told ABC News’ The View in a Monday interview.

“What really hurt was the message it sends to some of these kids, specifically these younger Latino kids who come from these types of families,” Gallego said.

What impact Ruben Gallego father controversy had

He worried Lake’s rhetoric would negatively impact children who are trying to live in the shadow of a parent’s criminal conviction.

“No matter what you do, the sins of the father are gonna follow. What are you saying to those single parents who left that abusive husband who is a bad influence on the kids?” Gallego said.

The Democrat has been transparent about his background, which he says he has faced mockery for since high school.

“It was difficult growing up. It was difficult enough growing up when my father was around. He was abusive to me and my mother,” Gallego said. “Even when he left, he started drugs — he was a convicted drug dealer.”

Ruben Gallego father background: Moving forward

Gallego said he felt pressure to achieve in order to counterbalance his father’s actions.

“I’ve heard this on the campaign trail,” he said. “A lot of single parents … told me that they left their husband because they were a bad influence on their kids and they wanted to have an inspiration for the kids moving forward.”

He also threw some choice words at Lake — but they were far tamer than when he previously called her pathetic while speaking to The Arizona Republic.

“You have these petty politicians that will drag these families down just so they could have that 0.2% change, just to help themselves out,” Gallego said.

Critiquing people for their families’ pasts isn’t American, he added.

“Our story of America is something that we reinvent ourselves,” Gallego said. “We shouldn’t be dragged down by the bad legacies of our parents.”

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