By Ruth Shea | Scottsdale
Much is being made of the possibility so-called independent Kyrsten Sinema may run against Ruben Gallego to keep the seat she won as a Democrat. What’s ironic about that is that an “independent senator” should mean loyalty to people and values, not political parties, and of the two, Gallego is by far the more independent choice.
When it comes to the incumbent’s record, her independent branding is a scam. The only thing she’s independent from is the voters. She hasn’t held a town hall in God knows how long, and most of her money comes from corporate donors.
While Gallego’s record might be more progressive and turn off moderate voters, what’s more important to me is that he’s accessible to his constituents without requiring a six-figure donation. He’s always out in the community, and when I met him recently at an Indivisible Arizona gathering in Phoenix where he was accepting our endorsement, he listened sincerely to what voters had to say. That goes a long way with voters like me, but it's not really talked about.
