Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), was considered a 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful… until a scandal involving Disney World slush fund errupted.
Gallego allegedly blew his donor cash on luxury outings to Disney World, family travel, Super Bowl tickets, and more, according to new financial disclosures.
Recently published Federal Election Commission records indicate that Gallego used campaign coffers and PAC money to foot the bill for travel to Disney World, Disneyland, Miami, Chicago, and elsewhere with his family.
Speculated 2028 prez candidate Ruben Gallego blew campaign cash on Super Bowl tickets, Disneyland family travel https://t.co/W1fulVam9r pic.twitter.com/fS7uRe32dl
— New York Post (@nypost) June 24, 2026
“He just spends his campaign account like it’s his personal slush fund,” a source familiar with Gallego’s spending habits told Politico, which first reported on the luxury campaign spending.
“He’s using campaign cash to live a luxury lifestyle.”
However, Gallego’s office insists that the travel spending was all connected to political events and fundraisers, even if he used that money to cover his family’s travel and accommodations in some instances.
According to reports, back in 2023, Gallego tapped into a joint campaign account with his friend and disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), to attend Super Bowl LVII in Arizona with his wife.
The “Swallego Victory Fund,” which both Gallego and Swalwell set up in October 2022, held a fundraiser at the big game and spent over $37,000 between tickets and meals at The Henry, a restaurant in Phoenix.
Their fundraiser cost $5,000 to participate in, and the Democrats raised over $56,000 from it, netting about $8,000 a piece.
A spokesperson stressed that Super Bowl tickets were purchased at “fair market value” and noted that it is a common practice to host fundraisers and events at sports games.
The Swallego Victory Fund stopped raising funds soon thereafter.
Gallego had launched his Senate campaign roughly three weeks prior, according to The New York Post.
Gallego also took his family on trips to Disney World and Disneyland, where he participated in PAC retreats. His office insisted they were all related to political activities, including Rep. Lou Correa’s PAC retreat.
Records show the Disneyland trip cost close to $1,500 for accommodations, not including flights.
FEC records also show that he traveled to St. Barts for his wife’s St. Barts boss’ birthday, and then went to Miami for his wife’s own birthday, which included a hotel stay that cost his PAC over $9,000.
Gallego’s team contended the Miami trip was for fundraising purposes on President’s Day weekend, and that the senator partook in nine different political events where he raised over $50,000.
It was also reported that Gallego spent $18,000 from his PAC and campaign coffers on child care since 2019, including a $400 payment to his mother-in-law for babysitting.
“The FEC has stated that childcare may be reimbursed,” Gallego said in response to the revelations.
“There is a simple reason: we want Congress to look like America. Not just people without children, those with grown children, or those from wealthy backgrounds.”
“I’m one of the few members of Congress with young children,” he added.
“Because I’m not a millionaire (I’m one of the least wealthy members of Congress), every month is a game of childcare, travel, and scheduling balancing.”
“[T]hese pieces swirling around are accusing me of this: fundraising as all politicians do, but doing it as the father of children under 10. That’s it.”
Let me clear the air on some of these stories swirling around. The FEC has stated that childcare may be reimbursed. There is a simple reason: we want Congress to look like America. Not just people without children, those with grown children, or those from wealthy backgrounds.
It…
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) June 22, 2026
According to FEC rules, lawmakers are permitted to use campaign committee cash for child care, travel, and more if they’re not being deployed for “personal use.”