Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced Tuesday that she will not be running for reelection in Arizona, opening the door for a potential one-on-one race between failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, a Republican, and Representative Ruben Gallego, a Democrat.
"I love Arizona and am so proud of what we delivered," Sinema said in a three-minute video explaining her decision. "Because I choose civility, understanding, listening and working together to get stuff done, I am leaving the Senate at the end of this year."
The Context
Sinema will leave the Senate following tumultuous years in office that included her changing her original party affiliation from Democrat, officially becoming an independent in 2022.
Her political aspirations began in 2002, when she ran for the Arizona House of Representatives as an independent candidate affiliated with the Green Party. She then became a member of the Democratic Party in 2004, winning a state House seat and was reelected three times.
In 2018, Sinema defeated Republican Martha McSally to claim the seat left vacant by Republican Jeff Flake.
What We Know
In December 2019, Sinema again changed her party affiliation from Democrat to independent—joining two other independent Senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, who both caucus with Democrats. She has also been compared politically to Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia due to moderate positions.
In her announcement, Sinema said that she helped "deliver tangible results that make America safer, stronger and more prosperous," mentioning the modernization of infrastructure, ensuring clean water, and delivering good jobs and safer communities.
But she lamented the partisanship that has overtaken Washington, D.C., saying it has provoked Americans "to retreat farther to their partisan corners."
"These solutions are considered failures either because they are too much, or not nearly enough," she said. "It's all or nothing. The outcome, less important than beating the other guy. The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic, attacking your opponents on cable news or social media.
"Compromise is a dirty word. We've arrived at that crossroad, and we chose anger and division. I believe in my approach. But it's not what America wants right now."
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Views
Gallego, a former Marine who served in Iraq and is the second Colombian American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has been in Congress since 2015.
He has criticized Sinema for "betraying" Arizona families, saying that she continuously "put her own interests ahead of getting things done for the people of Arizona." He has also scrutinized her for accepting "huge campaign contributions from the wealthy and well-connected."
"I want to thank Senator Sinema for her nearly two decades of service to our state," the Gallego campaign said in a statement shared with Newsweek. "As we look ahead, Arizona is at a crossroads. Protecting abortion access, tackling housing affordability, securing our water supply, defending our democracy—all of this and more is on the line.
"That's why Democrats, independents and Republicans alike are coming together and rejecting Kari Lake and her dangerous positions. I welcome all Arizonans, including Senator Sinema, to join me in that mission."
Lake lost Arizona's 2022 gubernatorial election to Democrat Katie Hobbs by seven-tenths of a percentage point, or about 7,100 votes. She filed numerous lawsuits challenging the results, though none were successful.
"As a Journalist, I covered Kyrsten Sinema for many years. We may not agree on everything, but I know she shares my love for Arizona," Lake said in a statement shared with Newsweek. "Senator Sinema had the courage to stand tall against the Far-Left in defense of the filibuster—despite the overwhelming pressure from the radicals in her party like Ruben Gallego who called on her to burn it all down.
"Ruben Gallego would be a radical departure from the representation we have had in Arizona. He votes with Joe Biden 100% of the time, supported the Iran Deal, sanctuary cities, defunding the police, and voting rights for everyone pouring across the border. He even called the border wall 'stupid.'
"Arizonans will not be fooled by Gallego. I will be a voice for ALL Arizonans.
I wish Senator Sinema the best in her next chapter."
National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines reportedly said that Sinema's retirement is a boost for the GOP and "improves Kari Lake's opportunity to flip this seat," according to CNN's Melania Zanona.
"An open seat in Arizona creates a unique opportunity for Republicans to build a lasting Senate majority this November," Daines said.
What's Next
Polls have varied in Arizona due to the potential for a three-way race that now won't come to fruition.
In head-to-head matchups between Gallego and Lake, the pair splits numbers based on the poll. The most recent polls conducted in late February by Rasmussen show Lake with a 4-point lead, with 1,001 registered voters surveyed.
An Emerson College poll around that same time show Gallego with a 7-point lead.
Lake, a strong Donald Trump supporter, still has to defeat Republican challenger, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, prior to facing Gallego. She is viewed as a strong favorite against Lamb.
The Arizona Senate seat is currently considered a "toss up" by the Cook Political Report.
Update 3/5/24, 3:32 p.m. ET: This story was updated with more information.
