Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), appears to be laying the groundwork for a 2028 bid ahead of the 2026 midterms, with a new economic platform and comments on potentially running in the next presidential election.
This week, Gallego rolled out a new economic plan aimed at raising the minimum wage, restructuring American trade to better advantage the working class, a data center tax, and a “New Deal style” jobs program, among other policies.
The platform, however, includes far more than these top line provisions. For example, it calls on the creation of an “Office of Worker Empowerment” and an “Office of Worker Advocacy” in order to help crack down on the misclassification of gig workers as independent contractors instead of employees.
It also includes provisions to require companies to provide 120 day notice to employees of impending layoffs and to crack down on fake job advertisements that have become increasingly common in recent years.
“The federal government let giant corporations, billionaires, and elites write the rules, and we’re living with the results: costs have soared, wages have stalled, and jobs have left. This bipartisan, failed status quo must end,” Gallego said in a statement. “Working-class Americans aren’t asking for handouts. They don’t resent anyone else’s success — they just want a fair system.”
The announcement comes as jockeying for position in the 2028 election is already underway. In an interview with NBC News regarding his new plan, Gallego said he was “absolutely thinking” about running for president.
(Photo: Sen. Ruben Gallego, via Gallego for Arizona Facebook)