Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an independent from Arizona, has no plans of switching to the Republican party ahead of her re–election bid in 2024, the senator said in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday.
“Absolutely,” Sinema said when asked if she was done with party affiliation, adding that both sides of the aisle were “broken” parties and that “you don’t go from one broken party to another.”
The independent senator made headlines last year when she left the Democratic Party and officially registered as an independent, just days after Democrats reached a 51–49 majority in the Senate following the victory of Sen. Raphael Warnock in a Georgia runoff.
Despite not yet having announced whether she will run again next year, Sinema’s campaign has raised over $2.1 million in the first quarter of the year, with over half of it from donors who gave at least $3,300 and more than 30% coming from employees of five major companies, including hedge funds, investment groups, and private equity firms.
The senator has come under fire for her ties to Wall Street and the wealthy from congressional Democrats, including Rep. Ruben Gallego, D–Ariz., who last year announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination to her Senate seat.
Sinema has also been at odds with her Democratic colleagues throughout her time as a senator, most recently rejecting a filibuster rule change last year that could have helped pass a major voting rights bill – one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.
The senator’s stance on party affiliation is not a surprise to many, as she has been an independent for some time. Her decision to remain independent comes at a time when many members of Congress are divided over how to move the country forward.
Although Sinema has made it clear that she is not joining the Republican Party, her re–election bid in 2024 is still up in the air. If she decides to run, she will be up against her Democratic challenger and a possible Republican candidate, making the race one to watch.