ARIZONA-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced that she will not seek a second term and cited “anger and division” as a driving factor.
Sinema took to X, previously known as Twitter, and gave Arizona something to chew on.
Sinema cited the “anger and division” of politics today as one reason for her departure after a single term in the Senate. She highlighted bipartisan efforts she has undertaken to improve infrastructure, boost manufacturing and create jobs, but said in today’s Senate, bipartisan efforts are “considered failures,” and “compromise is a dirty word.”
“I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” Sinema 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.”
Sinema was first elected to Congress in 2012 as a Democratic representative serving Arizona’s 9th District and made history as the first openly bisexual member of Congress. She was elected to the Senate in 2018.
Her plans for 2024 were the subject of major speculation, since her seat will be key to determining control of the Senate. Recent polling showed her in third place in the race behind Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake.
Sinema often found herself at odds with the more progressive wing of her party. She opposed raising taxes on the wealthy and ending the filibuster to make it easier for Democrats to pass legislation in the Senate. In 2022, she left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent.
“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,” Lake posted on social media.
“Arizonans will not be fooled by Gallego. I will be a voice for ALL Arizonans,” Lake added.