In a CNN interview on Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., commented on Kyrsten Sinema’s exit from the Democratic party.
Sinema announced she was leaving the party on Friday in what many legislators are seeing as an attempt to bolster support from centrist Arizonans. According to 2022 voting records, over 40% of voters in the state identified their party affiliation as “other.”
“…I think it really has to do with her political aspirations for the future in Arizona,” Sanders said of her decision.
Sinema has repeatedly positioned herself as a defector of the traditional Democratic party. In a 2018 campaign ad, Sinema called herself, “Independent, just like Arizona.”
“I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent,” Sinema tweeted on Friday.
In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/jUQHAeuxym
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) December 9, 2022
“Removing myself from the partisan structure – not only is it true to who I am and how I operate — I also think it’ll provide a place of belonging for many folks across the state and the country, who also are tired of the partisanship,” Sinema told CNN on Thursday.
Sanders called Sinema a “corporate Democrat who has, in fact…sabotaged enormously important legislation.”
“I think the Democrats, they’re not all that enthusiastic about somebody who helps sabotage some of the most important legislation that protects the interests of working families and voting rights and so forth,” Sanders said.
Sanders added that Sinema’s decision will not have a large effect on the party. With Sen. Raphael Warnock’s win in Georgia this past week, Democrats will still hold a majority in the chamber. Sinema’s committee assignments will remain, though she has said she will not attend Democratic caucus meetings.
“But for us, I think nothing much has changed in terms of the functioning of the U.S. Senate,” Sanders said.
With a warmer tone, other Democratic party leaders echoed Sanders’ response that Sinema’s party affiliation change will not have a large effect on the party and her standing relationship.
“Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been. I believe she’s a good and effective Senator and am looking forward to a productive session in the new Democratic majority Senate,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a press statement Friday.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre continued the sentiment in a statement.
“Sen. Sinema has been a key partner on some of the historic legislation President Biden has championed over the last 20 months,” Jean-Pierre said. “We have every reason to expect that we will continue to work successfully with her.
Democrats will have to choose whether or not to endorse and provide funding resources to Sinema, who holds a mere 37% job approval rating, for her 2024 re-election campaign. She voted with Democrats 93% of the time in this year’s legislative session, according to data from FiveThirtyEight.
Sinema will join Sanders and Maine Sen. Angus King as independent senators in the 118th Congress on Jan. 3.
