Ruben Gallego is the son of immigrants from Colombia and Mexico. Along with his three sisters, he was raised by a single mother in a small apartment on a secretary's salary and slept on the family’s living room floor, finally getting his own bed when he went away to college.

Growing up poor, he took any job he could find — working at a pizza joint, construction sites, and a meat-packing plant — to help support his family. He earned a spot at Harvard University, where he again worked numerous odd jobs to pay his way through school.

Ruben enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed as an infantryman to Iraq, where his company saw some of the heaviest casualties of the war. After returning home, Ruben’s military service motivated him to seek public office and ensure that members of the military are never again sent into harm’s way without a plan for winning the fight and caring for those who serve when they return home.

In Congress, Ruben has fought tirelessly for hardworking Arizona families, working to cut costs, support small businesses, and take care of our veterans. Because of his experience growing up paycheck to paycheck, he understands the unyielding squeeze too many Arizonans are feeling. That’s why he’s working to cut costs on everything from gas and groceries, to rent and health care costs. He has distinguished himself as a leading voice on national security issues as the highest-ranking Latino on the Armed Services Committee. Ruben lives in South Phoenix with his wife Sydney, son Michael, and young daughter Isla.