exclusive — An Arizona county sheriff who has seen the border crisis first-hand supports Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) for Senate in a state where the border and high rates of illegal immigration are flashpoints. are.
santa cruz county sheriff david hathawayDemocratic lawmakers representing the battleground state’s Azure County endorsed Gallego on Wednesday, calling the Democrat a friend of law enforcement.
“Ruben Gallego is a long-time ally of Arizona border law enforcement and local communities, and he believes that other politicians are simply exploiting the concept of the border for personal political gain. , has worked tirelessly to provide desperately needed funding to ensure a safe and profitable border. Reuben is different,” Hathaway said in a statement provided to the magazine. Washington Examiner. “Arizona’s border communities and law enforcement need U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, and I’m proud to support his campaign.”
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Hathaway is a former director of the local Drug Enforcement Agency and was elected in 2020. The sheriff oversees the county that includes Nogales, a key border point with Mexico. Santa Cruz County is considered a Democratic stronghold in the Grand Canyon State, and voted overwhelmingly for President Joe Biden in 2020 and Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Hathaway County is within the jurisdiction of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. tucson areawhich includes Nogales and runs from the Yuma County line to the New Mexico state line. Monthly statistics show that the region has recently seen the largest increase in migrant inflows. statistics Released.
From October 2023 to January 2024, Border Patrol agents in the Tucson area encountered more than 250,000 migrants entering Arizona, more than in the Del Rio, Texas, or San Diego, California areas.
“Keeping Arizonans safe is always my top priority, which is why I am honored to have the support of Sheriff Hathaway,” Gallego said in a statement. “A leader with a proven track record of improving public safety and reducing crime, he knows the importance of securing our borders and maintaining a beneficial trade relationship with Mexico.”
Hathaway’s endorsement comes a day after the Gallego campaign released its first television ad in the Senate race in an attempt to introduce itself to Arizona voters. Gallego will likely face Republican front-runner Kari Lake in the race currently under consideration. toss up By Cook Political Report. The race to replace retiring independent Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Iowa and Arizona could determine control of the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority.
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National polls continue to show that the public considers immigration to be one of the most important issues facing this country. a Monmouth University Poll A poll released in late February found that eight in 10 people across party lines view illegal immigration as at least a somewhat serious problem. 61 percent of all respondents said this is a very serious problem. 91% of Republicans view illegal immigration as a very serious problem, compared to 58% of independents and 41% of Democrats.
