Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, declared on Friday that she is registered as an independent but would not join the Republican caucus, ensuring that Democrats will maintain their slim Senate majority.
Sinema said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.” Sinema, who has based her political strategy on the rebellious persona of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has occasionally irritated Democratic colleagues with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities.
Sinema said to CNN on Thursday, “I know some people would be a little bit surprised by this, but actually, I think it makes a lot of sense.” I’ve never really attempted to fit neatly into any party boxes, and I don’t want to.
Sinema informed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, of her choice on Thursday, according to a Democratic aide.
The senator, who is serving her first term, stated in an article for the Arizona Republic that she ran for office with the promise “to be independent and work with anyone to achieve lasting results. I committed I would not demonize people I disagreed with, engage in name-calling, or get distracted by political drama. I promised I would never bend to party pressure.”
A video announcement was also issued by her office.
She claimed that although her strategy “has offended partisans in both parties and is uncommon in Washington,” it “has delivered lasting gains for Arizona.”
After Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s victory in Georgia’s runoff election on Tuesday, Democrats were expected to maintain a 51-49 advantage in the Senate come January. With Vice President Kamala Harris casting the deciding Democratic vote in a tie, the Senate is now evenly split 50/50.
In an interview with Politico, Sinema stated that she will not caucus with Republicans and that she intends to continue voting the same way she has since being elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving three terms in the House. Nothing about my values or behavior will change, she declared.
Amy Klobuchar, a senator from Minnesota, told CNN that Sinema “tends not to go to the caucus meeting…except for rare moments where she’s advocating for something she cares about. That’s not going to change either.” However, Klobuchar said, “I don’t believe this is going to shake things up quite as everyone thinks.”
“This doesn’t change anything aside from her reelection path,” a White House official stated.
Moreover, Sinema “has been a key partner on some of the historic legislation President Biden has championed over the last 20 months, from the American Rescue Plan to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from the Inflation Reduction Act to the CHIPS and Science Act, from the PACT Act to the Gun Safety Act to the Respect for Marriage Act, and more. We understand that her decision to register as an independent in Arizona drew criticism.
After displeasing a sizable portion of the Democratic base by opposing or watering down progressive priorities like a minimum wage increase or President Biden’s significant social spending initiatives, Sinema is up for reelection in 2024 and is likely to be matched up with a well-funded primary challenger. She hasn’t stated whether she intends to run for re-election.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has a long-standing grudge against Sinema, is her most notable possible primary rival.
Sinema remarked, “The people who lose are average Americans when politicians are more intent on denying the opposition party a triumph than they are on improving Americans’ lives.” I registered as an Arizona independent in order to declare my independence from the dysfunctional partisan system in Washington and join the growing number of Arizonans who reject party politics.
