DES MOINES, Iowa —

From flipping pork chops to talking politics, KCCI Chief Political Reporter Amanda Rooker sat down with U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) during his visit to the Iowa State Fair.

He talked about his message to Iowa Democrats, lessons from winning rural voters in Arizona, and whether he’s eyeing a future White House run.

Watch the full conversation in the video at the top of this story.

Sen. Gallego doesn't rule out 2028 run

Gallego says his focus is on the 2026 midterm elections, where he hopes Democrats can win more seats in Congress. But he did not rule out a potential White House bid in 2028.

"It's a long time from now," Gallego said. "You're going to have to go get permission from my wife for us to even be thinking about that. For now, let's just focus on 2026."

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