Key facts
- Representative Gallego used campaign funds for personal travel and Super Bowl tickets.
- Donors Rick Smith and Dina LaPolt attended the Super Bowl with Gallego.
- Swalwell also used campaign funds for Super Bowl tickets.
Senator Ruben Gallego reportedly used campaign funds for personal expenses, including luxury outings with his wife and childcare. Records indicate these expenditures were made from his campaign account, with a spokesperson stating such practices are common and tickets were purchased at fair market value.
The use of campaign funds for personal expenses and luxury outings raises questions about financial oversight and adherence to campaign finance regulations.
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.
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.