Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema stunned colleagues Tuesday by announcing she will not run for reelection ahead of what would have been a brutal race.
The 47-year-old Independent, who left the Democrats in 2022 and is a moderate in the Senate, warned in her farewell message that America is choosing “anger and division” instead of working together.
Sinema, the first openly bisexual member of Congress, competes in Ironman triathlons and grew up in a Mormon family.
She may have been a moderate and a thorn in the side of the Biden administration, but her colorful fashion sense and sometimes conservative views made her one of the influential names on Capitol Hill.
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema stunned colleagues Tuesday by announcing she will not run for re-election ahead of what would have been a brutal race
The Independent, which left the Democrats and 2022 and was a moderate in the Senate, warned in its farewell message that America is choosing “anger and division” instead of working together
“I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” she said in the video message in which she revealed she was retiring rather than seeking another term.
It means the Arizona Senate race will now be between Donald Trump loyalist Kari Lake, who lost a bid to become the state’s governor in 2022, and Democrat Ruben Gallego.
Lake praised Sinema for her “courage to stand firm against the far left in defense of the filibuster — despite overwhelming pressure from radicals in her party, like Ruben Gallego, who called on her to burn everything down.”
She wished her well as she blasted her Democratic rival Gallego for voting “100 percent” for Biden, supporting sanctuary cities and dismantling the police.
“The people of Arizona will not be misled by Gallego. I will be a voice for ALL Arizonans,” she continued.
Sinema’s departure from the expected three-way race makes the Arizona election slightly less contentious.
Lake and Gallego had been waiting with bated breath to find out if Sinema would participate in their closely watched race.
Whoever wins in November could significantly sway the Senate as Republicans work to regain control and Democrats try to defend their slim majority.
National Republican Senatorial Chairman (NRSC) Steve Daines of Montana said Tuesday that the open seat in Arizona now creates a “unique opportunity” for Republicans to build a “lasting majority in the Senate.”
He pointed to recent polls in the state showing Sinema attracting “far more Republican voters than Democratic voters.”
Daines believes her decision to retire will increase Kari Lake’s chances of turning the seat red.
In a video announcing her intention to retire, Sinema said she was committed to achieving results despite continued government dysfunction.
“In 2017, I warned that we were approaching a crossroads, our democracy was being weakened by government dysfunction and continued polling to the limit by both political parties,” she said in the surprise video on Super Tuesday.
“I pledged that I would do my best to solve the problem, to protect and defend our Constitution, to listen to others without judgment, to focus on what unites us, and to make the lives of Americans better.” to make.
“By listening, understanding and compromising, we deliver tangible results that make America safer, stronger and more prosperous.
“Despite modernizing our infrastructure, ensuring clean water, delivering good shots, and safer communities, Americans are still choosing to retreat further to their partisan corners.
“These solutions are considered failures because they are too much, or not nearly enough.
‘It’s all or nothing, the outcome is less important than beating the other person. The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic: attacking your opponents on cable news or social media. Compromise is a dirty word.
‘We have arrived at that crossroads. And we chose anger and division,” she added.
“I love Arizona and I’m so proud of what we’ve delivered.
‘Because I choose civility, understanding, listening, working together to get things done, I will leave the Senate at the end of this year.
She may have been a moderate and a thorn in the side of the Biden administration, but her colorful fashion sense and sometimes conservative views made her one of the biggest names on Capitol Hill. The yellow dress she wore to the 2023 State of the Union was one of her most talked-about outfits
Sinema, the first openly bisexual member of Congress, competes in Ironman triathlons and grew up in a Mormon family
“I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” she said in the video message in which she revealed she was retiring rather than seeking another term
‘Throughout my career I have shown how government can work for ordinary people.
“Working with Senator Rob Portman and eight other bipartisan Senators. Our historic infrastructure laws gave Arizonans better broadband, new roads and bridges, cleaner air and water, and more jobs.
“Together with Senator Todd Young, we are saving the chips and the science bill from partisan collapse. Now America and Arizona can lead the way in semiconductor manufacturing, and our country will become increasingly secure.”
Gallego, who would have been her election opponent, praised Sinema for her work and attacked Republicans.
“I want to thank Senator Sinema for her nearly twenty years of service to our state.
“As we look ahead, Arizona is at a crossroads. Protecting access to abortion, addressing housing affordability, securing our water supply, defending our democracy – all this and more is at stake.
“That is why Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike are coming together to reject Kari Lake and her dangerous positions. I welcome all Arizonans, including Senator Sinema, to join that mission.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chairman Senator Gary Peters of Michigan said his organization will work “tirelessly” to elect Gallego.
He called Lake a “power-hungry liar who has shown she will do or say anything to further her own ambitions at the expense of Arizonans.”