A high-profile Arizona politician's family announcement rekindles controversy over his previous marriage dissolution.
According to a Daily Mail report, Senator-elect Ruben Gallego, 44, revealed he is expecting his third child with his second wife, Sydney. This comes months after court documents revealed details about his divorce from his first wife while she was pregnant.
The Democratic politician shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, announcing that his children Isla and Michael will soon have a new baby brother. Sydney Gallego, a lobbyist, expressed her joy by retweeting the announcement with a heart emoji and commenting on having more to be grateful for this year.
Court records released in October revealed that Gallego had asked his first wife, current Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, for a divorce in December 2016 when she was expecting their child.
The documents, which Gallego had attempted to keep sealed, showed that he filed for divorce on December 15, 2016, citing their marriage as "irretrievably broken."
Kate Gallego appeared to be caught off guard by the divorce filing, responding in court that she was "without knowledge" of his intentions. Both parties requested the records remain sealed, citing concerns about their son's privacy and positions as public officials.
The divorce was finalized in April 2017, shortly before Kate gave birth to their son. She continued her political career, eventually becoming the Mayor of Phoenix in March 2019.
Following his divorce, Gallego, then 39, met Sydney Barron, who was 25 at the time. The couple welcomed their daughter Isla in July 2023 and announced their marriage in early 2020.
Gallego posted on social media about being "the happiest man in the world" following their wedding. The couple's recent pregnancy announcement included an ultrasound photo displayed as a Christmas tree ornament.
The timing of the baby announcement comes after a contentious election period where his opponent, Kari Lake, used the divorce controversy in campaign advertisements. Despite these allegations, Arizona voters elected Gallego with 50 percent of the vote compared to Lake's 48 percent.
The senator-elect's personal life became a focal point during his recent campaign for the U.S. Senate seat in Arizona. Republican challenger Kari Lake incorporated the divorce controversy into her campaign strategy, hoping to sway voters.
Despite Lake's efforts to highlight his past marital issues, Gallego successfully secured his position as Arizona's next U.S. Senator. The victory demonstrates that voters ultimately focused on other aspects of his campaign rather than his personal history.
The controversy surrounding his first marriage and subsequent family developments continues to draw public attention, even as Gallego prepares to take office and welcome a new addition to his family with Sydney.
