PHOENIX — Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Tuesday that she won’t run for a second term after her estrangement from the Democratic Party left her politically homeless and without a clear path to reelection.
Sinema’s announcement comes after Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan bill to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border and deliver military aid to Ukraine and Israel, which Sinema spent months negotiating. She’d hoped it would be a signature achievement addressing one of Washington’s most intractable challenges, as well as a powerful endorsement for her increasingly lonely view that cross-party dealmaking remains possible.
Watch Senator Sinema's full video statement in the player above.
But in the end, Sinema’s border-security ambitions, and her career in Congress, were swallowed by the partisanship that has paralyzed Congress.
“I love Arizona and I am so proud of what we’ve delivered,” she said in a video posted to social media. “Because I choose civility, understanding, listening, working together to get stuff done, I will leave the Senate at the end of this year.”
Sinema’s decision avoids a three-way contest in one of the most closely watched 2024 Senate races, a hard-to-forecast scenario that spawned fierce debate among political operatives about whether one major party would benefit in the quest for the Senate majority. Most analysts agreed Sinema had faced significant, likely insurmountable hurdles if she’d decided to run.
Sinema, the first openly bisexual person elected to the Senate, had raised money for a potential reelection campaign and significantly stepped up her public appearances in Arizona throughout 2023, though her activities slowed as her announcement neared. During her five years in office, she built a formidable campaign bank account pegged at $10.6 million on Dec. 31, 2023, but her quarterly fundraising was outpaced by Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake.
Sinema was a Democrat for most of her political career but left the party late last year, saying she doesn’t fit into the two-party system. She had alienated many of her colleagues and her party’s base by blocking progressive priorities, often siding with business interests. In an era tribalistic party loyalty, she went out of her way to build relationships with Republicans.
In 2022, Senator Sinema, then registered as a Democrat, announced that she had registered as an Independent.
Republicans have a favorable map in the battle for control of the Senate. Democrats will be forced to defend 23 seats, including Sinema’s and two others held by independents who usually vote with Democrats, compared with just 10 seats for Republicans.
Following her announcement, Ruben Gallego, who turned in signatures Monday to be on the ballot for Sinema's seat, released the following statement:
“I want to thank Senator Sinema for her nearly two decades of service to our state."
“As we look ahead, Arizona is at a crossroads. Protecting abortion access, tackling housing affordability, securing our water supply, defending our democracy — all of this and more is on the line. That’s why Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike are coming together and rejecting Kari Lake and her dangerous positions. I welcome all Arizonans, including Senator Sinema, to join me in that mission.”
In October 2023, Kari Lake, who filed paperwork to officially run for Sinema's US Senate seat, released the following statement on X, formerly known as Twitter:
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.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) March 5, 2024
Senator Sinema had the courage to stand tall against the Far-Left in defense of the filibuster—despite the overwhelming pressure from the radicals…
Arizona's second senator, Mark Kelly, released the following statement:
“Over our three years of serving together, I've had a front row seat to Senator Sinema’s work in the Senate and witnessed her tenacity as she forged compromises on issues that felt unsolvable. In a town where a lot of people are much happier talking about problems than doing anything to fix them, she’s pursued meaningful solutions, working with Republicans and Democrats to pass lasting legislation that makes a difference in the lives of Arizonans and all Americans.
“We’ve worked together to accomplish bipartisan legislation on infrastructure, marriage equality, gun safety, and more that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for her being in that Senate seat.
“I’ve valued our partnership and our friendship as we’ve worked together to deliver for the people of Arizona. I congratulate Senator Sinema on an extraordinary career in Congress. This institution will not be the same without her.”
This is a developing story. Stay with abc15.com for the latest updates.
