Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) on Friday dismissed recent scrutiny from her Democratic colleagues as the Arizona lawmaker prepares to complete her first and only term in the Senate.
Sinema, who chose not to run for re-election earlier this year, was ousted by the left after he and Joe Manchin (I.W.V.) blocked Lauren McFerran's reappointment as National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) commissioner. faced a recent wave of backlash. Under President-elect Trump, the door has been opened for Republican control of the board.
in exit interview When Semafor was published on Friday, Sinema waved off the backlash, saying it had “no opinion.”
“I think some people think I'm some mysterious figure or something, but I don't think that's true at all,” Sinema told Semaphore. “I think this is probably a place where people sometimes say things they don't mean. I'm not that person…I think it's very predictable.”
Both Mr. Sinema and Mr. Manchin began their terms as Democrats, but their staunch support for the Senate filibuster and their strong support for the Senate filibuster have created hurdles in their party for some liberal priorities under President Biden. He left the party in the face of widespread anger.
Many on the left had hoped to push Democrats to end the filibuster, at least on priority issues like voting and reproductive rights, which Republicans have largely blocked using procedural tools. Ta.
However, Sinema told Semaphore that one anonymous Democratic senator contacted her and confirmed that she was right about defending the filibuster.
“After the election, someone contacted me and apologized and said I was right,” she told Semaphore.
Sinema also opposed Biden's plan to increase corporate tax rates. But she played a leading role in negotiating infrastructure and gun violence bills that gave Biden his biggest legislative victories.
“I don't fit into any political party,” said Sinema, who registered as an independent in 2022.
“I don't want to do that,” she said in late 2022. “I think removing myself from the partisan structure is not only true to who I am and how I operate, but also provides a home for many people in the state and across the country.” I'm tired of partisanship. ”
Retired Marine and longtime U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego will move into Sinema's Senate seat after defeating Republican candidate Kari Lake. During the Semaphore interview, Sinema was reluctant to discuss what kind of senator he thought Gallego would be.
She also did not reveal who she voted for in the presidential election.
Mr Sinema told Semafor he was “done with politics” and was “happy” as his term neared its end.
