Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego, who's trying to unseat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, says 'nobody' in the state 'has really spoken to' her she joined the upper chamber

• Ruben Gallego on Thursday blasted Sen. Sinema over what he said was her inattention to Arizona.

• "She doesn't speak to Arizonans anymore. She doesn't actually talk to them," he said on CNN.

• Gallego on Monday announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for Senate in Arizona.

Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego on Thursday blasted Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema over her job performance, arguing that the lawmaker is "hardly" seen in the state and remarking that she "doesn't speak to Arizonans anymore."

During an appearance on CNN's "This Morning," Gallego — a congressman who has represented a Phoenix-anchored district since 2015 — told co-anchor Don Lemon that Sinema is "no longer popular with anybody."

"Nobody in Arizona has really spoken to her in the last four years. This is why she is where she is," he said, arguing that she would have been unable to win a Democratic Party primary. "She doesn't really have anything unscripted. We hardly see her in Arizona. She has cut off everybody unless you are a big donor."

"What matters is she doesn't speak to Arizonans anymore. She doesn't actually talk to them," he added.

Gallego on Monday launched his candidacy ahead of the 2024 Democratic primary and general election in Arizona — where he hopes to lead the party to victory in the critical swing state.