Kyrsten Sinema leaves the Democratic Party and joins the Independent

UPDATED, with comments from Schumer: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema dashed Democrats’ hopes for a clear majority in the next Congress when she announced Friday that she had changed her party affiliation to independent.

“Like many Arizonans, I have never fit perfectly into either national party,” she wrote in an op-ed in the Arizona Republic. “Independence will not change my work in the Senate; My service to Arizona remains the same.

Sinema’s move comes days after Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) won re-election, giving Democrats a 51-49 majority. Sinema told Politico that she does not plan to meet with Republicans. Democrats have two independents in their caucus – Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Angus King of Maine – and Sinema plans to keep her committee duties under party control. Even without her vote, the Senate would be tied, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris to break it.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement: “She asked me to do her committee duties and I agreed. Kirsten is independent; she always has been. I believe she is a good and effective senator and I look forward to a productive session in the new Senate with a Democratic majority. We will maintain our new majority in committees, exercise our subpoena powers and be able to fire candidates without a vote of immunity.”

In an exclusive interview Thursday in her Senate office, Sinema told CNN’s Jake Tapper, “I’ve never really fit into a party box. I’ve never really tried. I wouldn’t like to. To breaking away from the partisan structure – not only is it consistent with who I am and how I work, I think it will provide a place of belonging for many people in the state and country who are also tired of partisanship.”

Sinema has not said whether she will seek re-election in 2024, and some Democrats have floated the idea of ​​a primary challenge. During the ongoing congress, which is connected in the Senate, she and sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) had extraordinary influence as the party leadership sought to drum up votes on key elements of President Joe Biden’s agenda. Sinema opposed key parts of a massive social and climate bill passed by the House of Representatives and, when it was drastically scaled back as anti-inflation legislation, pushed for significant changes before committing to it.

“Arizonas — many of whom are registered Democrats or Republicans — are eager for leaders who focus on common sense rather than party doctrinal solutions,” Sinema wrote.

“But if the loudest, most extreme voices continue to push each party to its brink — and if party leaders continue to focus more on strengthening their fundamentals than serving all Americans — those kinds of lasting legislative victories will become rarer.”

A former member of the Green Party, Sinema later switched to the Democratic Party and won the 2012 US House of Representatives election. She was elected to the Senate in 2018 with a narrow victory over Republican Martha McSally.

Manchin is also up for re-election in 2024, but unlike Sinemas Arizona, which has become a presidential swing state in recent years, West Virginia has been won by the Republican candidate in every cycle since 2000.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement: “We understand that your decision to register as an independent in Arizona does not change the Senate’s new Democratic majority control, and we have every reason to to believe.” that we will continue to work successfully with her.” Jean-Pierre noted that Sinema supports some other key parts of Biden’s agenda, including the US bailout package, infrastructure bill, a gun reform bill and the Respect for Marriage Act passed by Congress on Thursday.