The Arizona Police Association (APA) recently made headlines by endorsing liberal Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, despite Gallego’s controversial record on law enforcement issues and the APA’s simultaneous endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
“Congressman Gallego has relentlessly fought for increased and stronger funding for America’s law enforcement agencies, especially in Arizona,” the Arizona State Police said in a statement Monday, claiming that Gallego helped secure $168 billion in “direct support to ensure law enforcement officers have the personnel and equipment they need.”
The group supported Lake’s gubernatorial bid during the last election cycle and moved to back Democrat Lake over Republican Kali Lake just days after he announced his support for Trump for president.
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U.S. Senate candidate Kali Lake speaks at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump at Desert Diamond Arena on August 23, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo: Olivier Toulon/AFP via Getty Images)
“As a Marine combat veteran, we know that Rep. Gallego understands the complexities of modern policing in today’s American society while also being aware of the public’s expectations,” APA President Justin Harris said in a statement posted to X.
“I am proud to have APA’s support and look forward to working with them in the Senate to ensure Arizona’s law enforcement officers have the resources they need to combat fentanyl trafficking, train the next generation of officers, and most importantly, keep Arizona families safe,” Gallego said in a statement attached to APA’s announcement.
The move comes amid intense scrutiny of Gallego’s record on police issues. The Arizona Sun-Times reports A report detailing deputies’ law enforcement backgrounds and statements was released last week.
In one instance detailed in the report, Gallego argued that police should be restricted from using certain weapons because they “don’t know how to use them in a safe way.” In another instance, he posted on social media about efforts to restrict police access to military equipment.
U.S. Senate candidate Kali Lake speaks during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Seeger)
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The report also detailed Gallego’s history of social media posts in support of Black Lives Matter following the death of George Floyd in 2020, including posts claiming that protesters were “not the bad guys” and that “the bad guys are behind police lines.”
“Signing major reforms into law and changing the culture of law enforcement is a matter of life and death, especially for Black communities,” the Arizona lawmaker said in another post on the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death. “We cannot stop fighting for racial justice.”
The APA’s decision was sharply condemned by Lake’s campaign, which has made public safety a top issue in its Arizona campaign.
“Ruben Gallego supported cutting police budgets and criticized law enforcement during his time as a Congressman,” a spokesperson for Lake told Fox News Digital. “He supports open borders and is soft on crime. Kali Lake has always supported Democrats and supports law enforcement and safe communities.”
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) (Photo: Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Nonetheless, the APA chose to endorse Gallego, pointing to his support for bills such as the Conservation Investment Act and the Enhanced Police Officer Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Agencies Act.
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“APA does not take our endorsement lightly. We recognize the importance of having a U.S. Senator who can unite people for the betterment of society as a whole,” he added. “We believe Rep. Gallego will be that kind of U.S. Senator.”
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Gallego referred Fox News Digital to the congressman’s statement in the APA’s release. The APA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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