Sen. Ruben Gallego says Republicans lack empathy about economic pain

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said Thursday he thinks voters will take out their frustrations about the economy and how Republicans are handling it in the upcoming midterm elections.

Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News the situation is similar to what Democrats faced two years ago, when the GOP won the White House, took control of the Senate and held its majority in the House.

“It’s a very frustrating feeling, and I think the Americans are feeling that now. Look, this is a continuation that started under [Joe] Biden. I think a lot of people were hoping that there’d be a directional change, and they don’t feel that now,” Gallego said.

“Now they’re going to take out their frustration on President Trump and his party, much like they took out their frustration on us in 2024.”

Gallego criticized the way Republicans are reacting to affordability issues such as mortgage rates above 7% and high gas and food prices.

“It’s all these things that are compounding, and it feels like the president and a lot of Republicans, they’re just not showing, at a minimum, the empathy that people really need right now,” he said.

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