Kyrsten Sinema Will Leave the Democrat Party, Register as an Independent

She hasn't said if she'll continue caucusing with the Democrats yet, but she has said she will not caucus with the Republicans.

"I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington," she wrote in an op-ed published in The Arizona Republic.

Ms. Sinema, who was already facing a likely Democratic re-election challenge in 2024 after angering her party by opposing key elements of its agenda, will need to maintain some ties with Democrats to keep her committee seats and other benefits, since they would still hold a majority without her.

She informed Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and majority leader, of her plans on Thursday, according to a Senate Democratic aide who described the private conversation on the condition of anonymity. The aide said that Ms. Sinema would keep her committee positions through Democrats, meaning the party would still hold a one-seat edge on the panels next year, giving them new flexibility over nominations and legislation.

...

Ms. Sinema has not said whether she would caucus with the Democrats, as do two other independent senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine. She told Politico that she would not caucus with Republicans, and that her ideology and voting habits would not change.

The article claims the Democrats don't need her vote to retain power in the Senate. I guess that's because if even if she defected to the Republicans, it would be 50-50 and Kamala would cast the tie-breaking vote and the Democrats would keep power.

I wonder what Manchin is up to.

Sinema will avoid a Democrat primary this way. But if the Democrats run a candidate against her -- and they seem angry enough at her that they cannot be counseled not to -- that will create a three way race in which it will be relatively easy for even an "extremist" Republican to win.

posted by Ace at 12:50 PM

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