Ruben Gallego raises $3.74M to Kyrsten Sinema’s $2.1M in US Senate race 1st quarter

PHOENIX — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego raised $3.74 million for Arizona’s 2024 Senate race in the first quarter of this year, outdistancing independent incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema by more than $1.5 million.

Sinema, who hasn’t yet said if she will seek reelection, took in $2.1 million for January through March, according to Federal Elections Commission filings.

Gallego still trails in overall campaign funds, however. Sinema has $9.9 million in her campaign war chest, while Gallego has $2.7 million.

“I’m proud to be running a people-powered campaign where 98% of my donors are small-dollar donors who chipped in less than $100,” Gallego said in a press release Friday.

According to NBC News, more than 30% of Sinema’s first-quarter funding came from employees of five major companies and their affiliates: Blackstone, Carlyle Group, Elliott Advisors, Ryan LLC and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

Sinema left the Democratic Party last year to become an independent, setting up a potential three-way race in 2024.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced he was entering the race for Sinema’s seat last week.

Lamb, the first Republican to enter the race, will report contributions at the end of the second quarter. Kari Lake, Karrin Taylor Robson, Blake Masters and Jim Lamon are reportedly considering entering the battle for the GOP nomination.

As in 2020 and 2022, the Arizona race is expected to be a target for both parties in their quests to control the Senate in the next Congress.

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