Campaign funds bankroll family trips and Super Bowl attendance, records show

A POLITICO review of Federal Election Commission records shows Sen. Ruben Gallego has used campaign committee and leadership PAC funds to cover travel for his family, child care costs, and a 2023 Super Bowl trip with his wife, including a joint account with Rep. Eric Swalwell for the event. The spending covers trips to Miami, Chicago, Disneyland and Disney World, and reimbursements for babysitting, with some amounts tied to fundraising activity. Gallego and his team say such spending is permitted under campaign-finance rules, while critics describe it as a pattern that could complicate future runs for higher office. The story also notes Gallego’s ongoing ethics scrutiny context and his 2028 presidential prospects.