Profile Text
Birth Name: Ruben Marinelarena
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Date of Birth: November 20, 1979
Ethnicity: * father – Mexican * mother – Colombian
Ruben Gallego is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been a U.S. Senator from Arizona, since January 3, 2025. He was previously assistant minority leader in the Arizona House of Representatives, and a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona, from January 3, 2015 to January 3, 2025. He served and deployed as a USMCR Corporal during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the 2000s.
His surname Marinelarena is Basque.
Ruben was raised by his single mother, Elisa Gallego, growing up mostly in Evergreen Park, Illinois. He changed his name from Ruben Marinelarena to Ruben Marinelarena Gallego in 2008. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, from 2002 to 2006. Ruben is married to lobbyist Sydney Barron. He has a son with his former wife, politician Kate Gallego (born Katharine Sarah Widland); and two children with Sydney. Kate has been Mayor of Phoenix, AZ, since March 21, 2019. Ruben is Catholic.