Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox (D) said in a statement that she supports a lawsuit that seeks to require state Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) to use his original last name, Marinelarena, on the ballot. “Gallego legally adopted his mother’s maiden name in 2008, after his military service ended. His father had abandoned the family when Gallego was 11 years old; as Gallego’s told plenty of reporters, he raised his siblings alongside his mother.” (Slate)
“I am openly calling for Mr. Marinelarena or Mr. Marinelarena Gallego to put his legal surname, including his given name Marinelarena, on the ballot, so everyone has the chance to learn about his experiences and who he really is,” Wilcox said in a statement. Wilcox also referred to Gallego taking legal action to remove a candidate who legally changed his name to Cesar Chavez — originally named Scott Fistler — from the ballot. (release)