Sen. Ruben Gallego rolls out an economic agenda as he weighs a 2028 White House bid

WASHINGTON — Sen.Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who is eyeing a possible presidential bid in 2028, rolled out a new, national economic plan Wednesday that calls for boosting the minimum wage to $20 per hour and a New Deal-style public service jobs program funded by taxes on artificial intelligence companies and unpopular data centers.In an interview with NBC News, Gallego said middle-class and working-class Americans are under assault due to rapidly advancing artificial intelligence and automation, as well as an economic system that has not sided with nor supported workers for a generation.“There’s a lot of changes that are coming because of AI that we’re not prepared for.

There’s been a lot of bad things that have been happening for the middle class for the last 40 years that we have not really changed, either.And that’s why I think you have this real anxiety out there that working America feels,” Gallego said in an interview Tuesday.

“I always felt like, you know, if I put 40 hours’ worth of honest work together, I would have enough to support my family, and then feel comfortable enough to go to a movie,” he continued.“That’s not happening anymore, and so that’s the most important focus of this plan.”The November midterm elections are still weeks away, with both the House and Senate up for grabs, but Gallego’s decision to launch his AI and economic agenda now underscores just how quickly the political conversation will shift to what’s expected to be a crowded Democratic presidential contest.Asked whether he plans to run in 2028, Gallego said he is considering it and trying to determine whether he can balance a grueling presidential bid with raising three young children.“I’m not, you know, going to lie and say we’re not thinking about it.

We are absolutely thinking about it,” said the 46-year-old senator, who was raised by a single mother and frequently talks about his up-from-the-bootstraps personal narrative.He has “a young f...