Independent U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, from Arizona, announced Tuesday she won’t seek reelection in 2024.
Sinema, a former Democrat, became an independent in December 2022.
The 47-year-old cited partisan politics in a video message posted to X.
“Americans still choose to retreat farther to their partisan corners,” Sinema said. “It’s all or nothing. The outcome, less important than beating the other guy. The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic, attacking your opponents on cable news or social media. Compromise is a dirty word,” she continued.
“We’ve arrived at that crossroad, and we chose anger and division. I believe in my approach. But, it’s not what America wants right now,” she said.
“I love Arizona and I am so proud of what we’ve delivered. Because I choose civility, understanding, listening, working together to get stuff done, I will leave the Senate at the end of this year,” she added.
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Sinema’s exit creates a likely head-to-head matchup between Republican Kari Lake and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).
“As a Journalist, I covered Kyrsten Sinema for many years. We may not agree on everything, but I know she shares my love for Arizona. Senator Sinema had the courage to stand tall against the Far-Left in defense of the filibuster—despite the overwhelming pressure from the radicals in her party like Ruben Gallego who called on her to burn it all down,” Kari Lake commented.
“Ruben Gallego would be a radical departure from the representation we have had in Arizona. He votes with Joe Biden 100% of the time, supported the Iran Deal, sanctuary cities, defunding the police, and voting rights for everyone pouring across the border. He even called the border wall ‘stupid.’ Arizonans will not be fooled by Gallego. I will be a voice for ALL Arizonans. I wish Senator Sinema the best in her next chapter,” she added.
The contest for Arizona’s soon-to-be-open Senate seat will be among the most critical in the 2024 elections.
Axios reports:
Her exit clears the way for a likely matchup between Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in a contest that could determine control of the Senate.
As Lake and Gallego ramped up their campaigns, it became increasingly clear that Sinema’s path to victory was extremely narrow.
Sinema won in 2018 as a Democrat, becoming the first non-Republican to win an Arizona Senate seat since 1994.
From The Arizona Republic:
It brings an anticlimactic end to a career that began on the far left and became defined for a centrism that alienated her former political base.
It was part of a transformation that began in 2018 when she won her Senate seat casting herself as someone who spent years as a child living at an abandoned gas station without indoor plumbing. She leaves office with multiple pending ethics complaints claiming indulgent campaign spending.
Operating as the independent she often claimed to be even in 2018, Sinema had several significant legislative triumphs that were offset by a voter base that wanted someone else.
Speaking in generalities that didn’t mention anyone by name, Sinema said it has grown harder to find partners in formulating bipartisan legislation for the good of the country.
She did not discuss or endorse those hoping to succeed her. They are: Ruben Gallego, the only prominent Democratic challenger; Kari Lake, the leading Republican contender; and Mark Lamb, who is also vying for the GOP nomination.
Sinema also gave no indication of what she plans to do after leaving office.
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