Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema leaves Democrat party, switches to Independent

[Cyber Liberty]

BFD.   She still caucuses with the Rats, and will continue to vote with them. This is just a move to avoid a Primary challenge in the Rat party.

[HikerGuy83]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/09/politics/kyrsten-sinema-leaves-democratic-party/index.html

“I’ve registered as an Arizona independent. I know some people might be a little bit surprised by this, but actually, I think it makes a lot of sense,” Sinema said in a Thursday interview with Tapper in her Senate office.

“I’ve never fit neatly into any party box. I’ve never really tried. I don’t want to,” she added. “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’s move away from the Democratic Party is unlikely to change the power balance in the next Senate. Democrats will have a narrow 51-49 majority that includes two independents who caucus with them: Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.

While Sanders and King formally caucus with Democrats, Sinema declined to explicitly say that she would do the same. She did note, however, that she expects to keep her committee assignments – a signal that she doesn’t plan to upend the Senate composition, since Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer controls committee rosters for Democrats.

“When I come to work each day, it’ll be the same,” Sinema said. “I’m going to still come to work and hopefully serve on the same committees I’ve been serving on and continue to work well with my colleagues at both political parties.”

**********************

I like her.

She's got brass. 

I hope Schumer is choking on his dentures.

[Cyber Liberty]

Relax, she's caucusing with the Rats and will continue to vote with Biden 95% of the time.  This is just a trick to avoid the Primary.  I don't know if it will work.

[jmyrlefuller]

All that election chicanery by the Arizona Democrats, and what does Sinema do? Pulls a power play.

In New York, when the Senate was more evenly divided, this happened a few times. Just as soon as the Dems thought they had one-party rule, there'd be breakaway senators who formed a coalition with the GOP. The last one I recall was a guy named Simcha Felder, an Orthodox Jewish guy who was Democrat by tradition more than belief. It PO'ed the Democrats royally, and that's why they went scorched earth on the New York Senate a few years back.

[jmyrlefuller]

Anyone else find that the timing of this announcement was suspect.  Wonder if she would have made the same decision if Walker had won.

lol, no.

This is a negotiating ploy. By deserting from the Democratic caucus, Sinema denies them their majority (though Kamala likely nominally keeps it). She can now negotiate concessions from both sides to ensure better favors for what she wants. To borrow an Old Testament concept, it's the Edomite strategy.

[mystery-ak]

Chuck Schumer Allows Kyrsten Sinema to Keep Committee Assignments After She Dumps Democrat Party  

Wendell Husebø 9 Dec 2022

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) permitted Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) to keep her congressional committee assignments after she announced Friday she will leave the Democrat party and become an independent.

“Senator Sinema informed me of her decision to change her affiliation to Independent,” Schumer stated in a press release. “She asked me to keep her committee assignments and I agreed. Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been.”

Sinema sits on four Senate committees: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans Affairs.

Despite Sinema leaving the Democrat party, Schumer said he believes she is a “good” and “effective” senator and that her departure from the party will not detract from the Democrats’ ability to operate the chamber with majority control.

“I believe she’s a good and effective Senator and am looking forward to a productive session in the new Democratic majority Senate,” he said. “We will maintain our new majority on committees, exercise our subpoena power, and be able to clear nominees without discharge votes.”

Sinema told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Friday she is leaving the Democrat party because it “makes a lot of sense.”

“A growing number of Arizonans and people like me just don’t feel like we fit neatly into one party’s box or the other,” she continued. “And so, like many across the state and the nation, I’ve decided to leave that partisan process and really just focus on the work that I think matters to Arizona and to our country, which is solving problems and getting things done.”

When she was questioned about how her altered party affiliation would shift the balance of power, Sinema brushed off the question.

“I know you have to ask that question, Jake, but that’s kind of a D.C. thing to worry about,” she said.

Sinema’s departure from the Democrat party will make her the third senator to work with Democrats as an independent. She joins Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME).

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/12/09/chuck-schumer-allows-kyrsten-sinema-keep-committee-assignments-dumps-democrat-party/

[mountaineer]

“Senator Sinema informed me of her decision to change her affiliation to Independent,” Schumer stated in a press release. “She asked me to keep her committee assignments and I agreed. Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been.”

She still has Schmucky's official okey-dokey. That bodes well. 

[catfish1957]

She still has Schmucky's official okey-dokey. That bodes well. 

Yep, this was all eye wash.  And done when after the dims insured themselves of the majority.

[HikerGuy83]

Relax, she's caucusing with the Rats and will continue to vote with Biden 95% of the time.  This is just a trick to avoid the Primary.  I don't know if it will work.

She's done more to screw Biden than just about anyone. 

There is no way she runs as a democrat.  They hate her.

[Cyber Liberty]

She's done more to screw Biden than just about anyone. 

There is no way she runs as a democrat.  They hate her.

She would also lose if she ran GOP.  This is some sort of trick.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Any others we could flip?

[berdie]

She still has Schmucky's official okey-dokey. That bodes well. 

I can't help but wonder if he gave her a kiss after that statement.

Either romantic or Corleone. Either would work.

[HikerGuy83]

She would also lose if she ran GOP.  This is some sort of trick.

Looking forward to hearing who would be better.

You can count out:

Masters
McSalley

[HikerGuy83]

Any others we could flip?

If the New Mexico GOP would get off it's ass,  there is potential here.

[Cyber Liberty]

Looking forward to hearing who would be better.

You can count out:

Masters
McSalley

McSally won't win. Blake would be good.

[Fishrrman]

Cyber wrote:
"McSally won't win. Blake would be good."

But it will then become a "3-way" race:
- Republican (Masters)
- dem-communist (unknown)
- Independent (Sinema)

Can you win a Senate race in AZ with less than 50% (in a 3-way race) ??

[Cyber Liberty]

Cyber wrote:
"McSally won't win. Blake would be good."

But it will then become a "3-way" race:
- Republican (Masters)
- dem-communist (unknown)
- Independent (Sinema)

Can you win a Senate race in AZ with less than 50% (in a 3-way race) ??

Yes. No runoff.

[Idiot]

Relax, she's caucusing with the Rats and will continue to vote with Biden 95% of the time.  This is just a trick to avoid the Primary.  I don't know if it will work.

Exactly...

[Mod2]

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