Key facts
- Representative Gallego used campaign funds for personal travel.
- Campaign funds were used to purchase Super Bowl tickets.
Representative Gallego reportedly used campaign funds for personal travel and Super Bowl tickets, according to campaign records. A spokesperson stated that hosting donors at sporting events is a common practice and tickets were purchased at fair market value.
The use of campaign funds for personal travel and luxury event tickets raises questions about campaign finance compliance and the ethical boundaries for elected officials, particularly for a politician considered a rising star in the Democratic party.
Records indicate that Representative Gallego utilized campaign funds for personal travel and the purchase of Super Bowl tickets. A spokesperson for Gallego stated that hosting donors and supporters at sporting events is a common, bipartisan practice and that tickets were purchased at fair market value.
The joint committee, established in connection with Super Bowl LVII, allowed supporters who met contribution requirements to attend. The Swallego Victory Fund, which raised no money after March 2023, was dissolved on January 1, 2025. Gallego and Swalwell each received $7,643.89 in their personal campaign committees from the fund, with the remainder covering operating fees. This practice, while not unheard of, is unusual; former Rep. John Conyers hosted a similar fundraiser in 2010, and Swalwell himself used campaign funds in 2024 for a trip to watch his team play in Las Vegas.
Other politicians have had tickets paid for by third parties, such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose attendance at the 2023 Super Bowl was at the expense of a nonprofit. During Donald Trump's first term, the Republican National Committee paid for World Series tickets for Trump, members of Congress, and White House staff. However, many politicians, like Sen. Mark Kelly and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, pay for such events personally.
Earlier this year, Gallego used the high cost of Super Bowl tickets to highlight affordability issues, tweeting that the average ticket price was $6,773. He was elected in 2024, defeating Kari Lake, and is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate. In February 2024, Gallego established the “JUNTOS PAC,” a leadership PAC that has since raised nearly $1.5 million, with more than half coming from corporate PACs.