U.S. Sen. Krysten Sinema Announces She Will Not Seek Re-election
U.S. Sen. Krysten Sinema Announces She Will Not Seek Re-election
After months of speculation about her political future, U.S. Sen. Krysten Sinema announced on Tuesday that she will not be seeking a second term. Sinema, who made headlines in late 2022 when she left the Democratic Party and changed her affiliation to independent, cited the increasing partisanship of American politics as a reason for her decision.
Known for her reputation as a dealmaker who sought to bridge the partisan divide in the Senate, Sinema acknowledged in a video posted on social media that her style of governance was unpopular among voters. She expressed her belief in her approach but recognized that it was not what America wanted at this time.
Sinema’s decision not to seek re-election comes as the window for Arizona candidates to file nomination petitions for the 2024 ballot opened on March 2. Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego has already filed more than 14,000 signatures for his bid to win Sinema’s Senate seat, double the amount needed.
Gallego thanked Sinema for her service to the state and called on her to join him in rejecting Kari Lake, the GOP front-runner for the Senate nomination. Lake, who lost a bid for governor in 2022, is expected to face Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in the primary election.
Governor Katie Hobbs, a former legislative seatmate of Sinema’s, praised the senator for her years of service and partnership in Washington, D.C. Sinema, who was first elected to Congress in 2012 and then won a Senate seat in 2018, was a prodigious fundraiser with about $10.6 million on hand at the end of 2023.
However, Sinema’s fundraising had significantly decreased after she left the Democratic Party, raising just $595,000 in the final quarter of 2023. This decline in fundraising, along with the changing political landscape, likely influenced her decision not to seek re-election.
Sinema’s announcement has set the stage for a competitive race for her Senate seat in 2024, with Gallego, Lake, and Lamb vying for the nomination. As Sinema prepares to step down from her role in the Senate, the future of Arizona politics remains uncertain.