PHOENIX — Independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced Tuesday that she will not run for a second six-year term.
In a video statement, Sinema said:
"I believe in my approach. But it's not what America wants right now. 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."
The announcement had been expected:
- Sinema has posted anemic fund-raising numbers in recent quarters, after earning a reputation as a prodigious fund-raiser throughout her 12 years in Congress.
- With an April 1 deadline looming, Sinema hadn’t taken any steps toward gathering the more than 43,000 voter signatures needed to get on the November ballot.
- Polling consistently showed the independent Sinema polling in 3rd place in a hypothetical three-way matchup with Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake. A Sinema statewide victory would have been a first for an independent candidate in Arizona. An email to donors last year showed how torturous that path would have been.
Impact on U.S. Senate Race
With Sinema stepping aside, the November election for the U.S. Senate from Arizona will pit five-term Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego of Phoenix against the prohibitive favorite to win the Republican nomination, Trump acolyte and former TV newscaster Kari Lake.
Lake, who lost the 2022 election for governor, faces Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in the July 30th GOP primary. Lamb has continued his campaign despite dismal fund-raising and Lake’s endorsements from Donald Trump and several sitting Republican senators.
Unconventional Career
Sinema’s planned departure from the Senate in January will hit the pause button on an unconventional political career.
Sinema rose from a failed Green Party “Prada socialist” candidate for the Arizona Legislature in 2002, to become an indispensable swing vote in the U.S. Senate who played a central role in securing the passage of landmark legislation under President Joe Biden.
Declared Independence
Sinema has always been a party of one, even during her 18 years as a Democrat.
When elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, Sinema said in her victory speech that she would model herself after Republican Sen. John McCain, notoriously independent from his party.
Sinema formalized her independence in December 2022, by switching her party registration from Democrat to independent.
Her political journey would cost Sinema the Democratic base that catapulted her to a historic Senate victory in 2018— the first by a Democrat in 30 years. She was also the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona.
But many of her supporters would come to say they were alienated, even betrayed, by Sinema's floor votes, performative behavior and extravagant campaign spending.
What’s next for Sinema?
Sinema, who is 47, holds degrees in law and social work, as well as a doctorate. She has competed in the Ironman Triathlon.
According to Republican Sen. Mitt Romney's biographer, McKay Coppins, Romney asked Sinema in 2022 if she was worried about her re-election.
“I don’t care,” she told Romney. “I can go on any board I want to. I can be a college president. I can do anything.”
You can watch Sinema's full statement below:
Arizona 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.”
Ruben Gallego 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.”
The Lake campaign issued this statement:
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.
"Sen. 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.
"Ruben Gallego would be a radical departure from the representation we have had in Arizona. He votes with Joe Biden 100 percent 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 Sen. Sinema the best in her next chapter.”
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