Kyrsten Sinema was pivotal in Senate’s failure to pass voting-rights legislation in 2022. She’s sanguine about it at Davos.
Last Updated: Jan. 20, 2023
By Associated Press
The Arizona moderate has since left the Democratic Party and declared herself the chamber’s third independent, all three of whom caucus with the Democrats.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, backed by then-Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, speaks at a news conference in November after the Senate passed the Marriage Equality Act.
By Associated Press
The Arizona moderate has since left the Democratic Party and declared herself the chamber’s third independent, all three of whom caucus with the Democrats.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, backed by then-Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, speaks at a news conference in November after the Senate passed the Marriage Equality Act.
ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES
U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema says democracy is still alive despite her refusal to eliminate the filibuster so Democrats could pass legislation securing voting rights ahead of the 2022 election.
Sinema says Congress didn’t pass the voting-rights bill, and “then we had a free and fair election.” She spoke Tuesday in a panel session with a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers and governors at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Sinema is a moderate senator from Arizona who has positioned herself as a bipartisan dealmaker. Her support for a Senate rule requiring support from 60% of lawmakers to pass most legislation was a major source of tension in her strained relationship with Democrats, who worry that allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump will interfere with elections or limit through a variety of means access to the ballot among voters likely to lean Democratic.
Sinema left the Democratic Party late last year, registering as an independent as she nears the end of her first term. She hasn’t said whether she will run for re-election in 2024.
From the archives (March 2021): Voting rights intensify as partisan battleground, with Democrats pushing H.R. 1 and Republicans altering election procedures at state level
The Arizonan added that “the push by one political party to eliminate an important guardrail and an institution in our country may have been premature and overreaching, in order to get the short-term victories they wanted.”
U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema says democracy is still alive despite her refusal to eliminate the filibuster so Democrats could pass legislation securing voting rights ahead of the 2022 election.
Sinema says Congress didn’t pass the voting-rights bill, and “then we had a free and fair election.” She spoke Tuesday in a panel session with a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers and governors at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Sinema is a moderate senator from Arizona who has positioned herself as a bipartisan dealmaker. Her support for a Senate rule requiring support from 60% of lawmakers to pass most legislation was a major source of tension in her strained relationship with Democrats, who worry that allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump will interfere with elections or limit through a variety of means access to the ballot among voters likely to lean Democratic.
Sinema left the Democratic Party late last year, registering as an independent as she nears the end of her first term. She hasn’t said whether she will run for re-election in 2024.
From the archives (March 2021): Voting rights intensify as partisan battleground, with Democrats pushing H.R. 1 and Republicans altering election procedures at state level
The Arizonan added that “the push by one political party to eliminate an important guardrail and an institution in our country may have been premature and overreaching, in order to get the short-term victories they wanted.”
NOW PLAYING: Proceeding With Caution
She and Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat from West Virginia and another holdout on the proposed elimination of the filibuster rule, shared a high-five.
Sinema said the era of divided government is an opportunity for the country to reckon with extreme partisanship.
Lawmakers from both parties said they’re confident the United States will keep supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia despite a group of right-wing lawmakers who want to cut off aid.
Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a Republican from Florida, said “we’re going to liberate Europe, quote unquote, in 2023 just like we did in 1945. We understand that that is our duty.”
Democrat Ruben Gallego to run for Senate against Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona
Eric Garcia
Fri, January 20, 2023
(Getty Images)
Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego will announce his decision to run against Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona next week, CBS News reported.
Mr Gallego, a Marine veteran who served in the Iraq War, will challenge Ms Sinema after she announced her exit from the Democratic Party to become an independent last month. Ms Sinema still caucuses with Democrats.
Despite her prolific capability to pass legislation on guns, same-sex marriage and infrastructure, Ms Sinema angered many Democrats because of her caginess about support Build Back Better, Democrats’ social spending legislation that died in 2021.
In addition, she and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia continue to support the filibuster, which many Democrats see as a tool for obstruction.
This week, Ms Sinema spoke at the World Economic Forum at Davos and reaffirmed her support for the filibuster with Mr Manchin.
Mr Gallego criticised Ms Sinema’s appearance at the forum, noting how she has not held a town hall for many years, though he said he hadn’t decided whether to run.
“Kyrsten Sinema hasn’t held a town hall in Arizona for years. Instead, she flies to Switzerland for a town hall with the rich and powerful,” he tweeted. “Not a Joke!”
Mr Gallego served in the US Marine Corps and fought in the Iraq War. He also served in the Arizona state legislature before he ran for Congress and won in 2014.
Eric Garcia
Fri, January 20, 2023
(Getty Images)
Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego will announce his decision to run against Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona next week, CBS News reported.
Mr Gallego, a Marine veteran who served in the Iraq War, will challenge Ms Sinema after she announced her exit from the Democratic Party to become an independent last month. Ms Sinema still caucuses with Democrats.
Despite her prolific capability to pass legislation on guns, same-sex marriage and infrastructure, Ms Sinema angered many Democrats because of her caginess about support Build Back Better, Democrats’ social spending legislation that died in 2021.
In addition, she and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia continue to support the filibuster, which many Democrats see as a tool for obstruction.
This week, Ms Sinema spoke at the World Economic Forum at Davos and reaffirmed her support for the filibuster with Mr Manchin.
Mr Gallego criticised Ms Sinema’s appearance at the forum, noting how she has not held a town hall for many years, though he said he hadn’t decided whether to run.
“Kyrsten Sinema hasn’t held a town hall in Arizona for years. Instead, she flies to Switzerland for a town hall with the rich and powerful,” he tweeted. “Not a Joke!”
Mr Gallego served in the US Marine Corps and fought in the Iraq War. He also served in the Arizona state legislature before he ran for Congress and won in 2014.
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