Democrat pursues Sinema's Arizona Senate seat

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, a liberal firebrand and prominent Latino lawmaker, announced Monday he'll challenge independent U.S.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024, becoming the first candidate to jump into the race and setting up a potential three-way contest. Gallego, a 43-year-old military veteran first elected to Congress in 2014, had made no secret of his interest in challenging Sinema, a longtime rival in Arizona politics who has been a roadblock and irritant to Democrats during Joe Biden's presidency.

She left the Democratic Party in December, registering as an independent and saying she doesn't "fit well into a traditional party system." She has not said whether she plans to run for a second term.