Sen. Sinema’s Rep to the Independent will not affect Democrats’ control of the chamber, representatives say
Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, speaks during the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee confirmation hearing for Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget. (OMB), candidate for US President Joe Biden, in Washington, DC, USA, February 1, 2022.
Al Drago | Reuters
Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced her decision on Friday to leave the Democratic Party and Independent registrationbut many members of Congress have said the transition would likely not affect Democrats’ narrow control of the US Senate.
Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the midterm elections, and Senator Raphael Warnock’s re-elected on Tuesday Georgia’s run for the United States Senate fueled party hopes that Sinema and Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., would have less control over key bills. The pair have been the Democrats’ wild cards since the party won narrow control of the Senate from Republicans in 2020.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, said Sunday that he believes Sinema is a “corporate Democrat” who has “undermined hugely important legislation” and that he doubts Her decision to switch parties is related to her personal political ambitions.
“I think it really has to do with her political aspirations for the future in Arizona, but for us, I don’t think it’s changed much about the functioning of the United States Senate,” Sanders told CNN’s “State of the Union” in an interview. Sunday interview.
In a tweet on Friday, Sinema said her decision to switch parties was a “natural extension” of her service. The 46-year-old is the first openly bisexual senator and she started her career as a Green Party activist focusing on LGBTQ rights. She converted to the Democratic Party in 2004 and was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012.
“I know this is really hard for a lot of people, especially in DC, but it’s important to me not to be tied down by the partisan regime that dominates politics today,” she told Jake. CNN’s Tapper on Thursday.
Montana Senator Jon Tester said Sunday he was surprised Sinema made the change, but it wouldn’t change anything functionally in the Senate.
“I think whether she’s a Democrat or a Republican, it really doesn’t matter,” the Democrat told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The title doesn’t matter.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. was informed of Sinema’s plans to become independent on Thursday, and in a statement on Friday, he said Sinema had asked to continue his duties on his committee. By keeping her duties, Sinema showed her intention to continue caucusing with Democrats as an independent.
Sinema’s decision to switch parties will save her from facing a left-wing primary, but she did not say whether she will seek a second term in the US Senate.
