Senior US Senator Kyrsten Sinema has become largely unpopular within the Democratic base with her move to become an Independent at the end of 2022; however, the party must unite behind her to keep the Senate in 2024.
For the past two years, the senior United States Senator from Arizona has held significant power in the Senate as one of the two most conservative Democrats in an evenly split chamber. Sinema, who is now in the fourth of her six-year term, will once again face the voters in 2024, and because of her role in thwarting parts of the Biden agenda, she has become unpopular among much of the Democratic base.
Sinema’s move to become an Independent and formally leave the Democratic Party at the end of 2022 further angered die-hard Democrats; however, Democrats must look at the bigger picture in 2024 and support her for re-election.
While Senator Sinema’s nay votes to kill Build Back Better and the Senate filibuster was understandably incredibly frustrating to most Democrats, the reality is that Senator Sinema votes with President Biden and the Senate Democratic agenda 93% of the time. She has voted in line with the party and the President more than Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a progressive champion, who has voted with the party 90% of the time. Overall, nothing drastic will change in the Senate because the three independents, including Sinema’s caucus with the Democrats keeping the majority at 51-49.
Sinema being an Independent is largely symbolic as well as strategic and should not be read into too much by Democrats. Senators Angus King of Maine and Sanders are also registered Independents; however, they caucus with the Democrats and are strongly associated with the Democratic Party. What Senator Sinema has done is no different, and she publicly said upon her announcement in an interview with CNN:
“When I come to work each day, it will still be the same, I am going to still come to work and hopefully serve on the same committees I have been serving on and continue to work well with my colleagues at both political parties.”
Congressman Ruben Gallego, who has just announced his plans to run against Sinema from the Democratic side, was seen as a primary challenger for Sinema which no longer will occur due to her leaving the party. When asked why he is challenging Sinema, Gallego said “her priorities are not the priorities of Arizonans anymore. There is an opportunity to change that, and I am going to do that.” The cold fact about Gallego’s challenge to Sinema is that it puts the seat in more danger of being won by Republicans.
While Sinema’s approval has tanked among Democrats according to the Morning Consult, she still has support from 38% of Democrats and her approval among Independents and Republicans rose dramatically.
In a state like Arizona, which is crucial when determining the presidency and the balance of power in Congress, a Democrat civil war in Arizona between Sinema and Gallego could ultimately cost the party control of the Senate, which already looks grim in other states as well. Senate Democrats should be logical and direct their efforts to support her if she runs for re-election.
