Kyrsten Sinema, an Independent Arizona Senator, recently announced her decision to not run for re-election. Sinema, who also made headlines when she left the Democratic Party in 2022 in favor of becoming an independent, apparently sparked mixed reactions and outrage from the public with her announcement.
Sinema Says, ‘Americans Still Choose To Retreat Farther’ To Party Corners
Senator Sinema issued an official statement with an accompanying video message to make her big announcement. She stated that they were able to deliver “tangible results that make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.” This was done “through listening, understanding, and compromise.”
However, Sinema believes that despite infrastructure modernization, clean water assurance, and the delivery of good jobs and safer communities, there is still work left to be done. According to Sinema, “Americans still choose to retreat farther to their partisan corners.”
Sinema Aide Responds With ‘Blah Blah Blah’ To Reporters Outside Of Capitol
When leaving the Capitol after announcing her decision to not run for reelection, reporters asked Senator Sinema if she had any other comments to make or add to the discussion. One of her aides was recorded in a video that was later posted online saying, “Blah blah blah blah blah.”
Sinema was shown in that video laughing at her aide’s response as she continued to walk away from reporters. Jim Hewell from Slate reported that this was “an appropriate exit for the singularly arrogant senator.” Hewell added that Sinema “could point to everything but her own shortcomings for her inability to win reelection.”
Sinema Announced Her Decision To Leave Senate ‘At The End Of This Year’
Sinema mentioned within her announcement video that she has decided to leave the Senate “at the end of this year.” She further explained that she believed in her “approach.” However, according to Sinema, that’s “not what America wants right now.”
She further expressed that America has “arrived at that crossroad, and we chose anger and division.” She also reflected on her career and the thought that she has “shown how government can work for everyday people.”
Sinema Announcement Video Slammed On YouTube By Commenters
Quite a few people posted comments on Kyrsten Sinema’s announcement video on YouTube that also reflected tones of mockery, criticism, and insults. For instance, one commenter noted that they just came to the video “for the comments” and they “didn’t watch or listen” to her “presumably hollow words.”
Another commenter stated that “when times are dark, just remember… you did this to yourself.” One particular commenter sarcastically noted that “we certainly wish you the best in your next role, wheeling and dealing as no other lobbyist ever has… degrading the democracy you once claimed to defend.”
Kyrsten Sinema: ‘It’s Been An Honor To Serve Arizona For The Past 20 Years’
Sinema took the time during her announcement video to praise Arizona as she reflected on her career. Sinema stated that “it’s been an honor to serve Arizona for the past 20 years.”
Sinema was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 15 back in 2004. She won her re-election campaign in 2006 and then was elected to the Arizona Senate in 2008. She continued to represent District 15 within the Arizona Senate until 2011.
Sinema Worked As Advocate, Social Worker Before Her Political Career
Before she decided to venture into the world of politics, Kyrsten Sinema worked as an advocate in Arizona as well as a social worker. She primarily focused on issues that had an impact within marginalized communities – such as poverty, homelessness and easy access to healthcare.
She worked with such organizations as the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness as well as the Community Housing Partnership. She also helped with initiatives that were designed to improve literacy rates among children in addition to educational access for low-income households.
Sinema Believes That Education Was Her ‘Ticket To A Better Life’
According to Kyrsten’s official website as the Arizona Senator, she believes that education was her “ticket to a better life.” She came from a low-income family, which is why she valued the assistance of student loans, academic scholarships as well as financial aid.
After graduating, she was determined to help other students and families throughout Arizona that faced some of the same challenges that she was able to overcome. According to her website, “she got her shot at the American dream” and would “keep working to make sure all Arizonans get theirs too.”
Sinema Sponsored Legislation To Improve Education System In Arizona
Kyrsten apparently kept her word and primary focus when it came to her fighting for education reform in Arizona. She supported a variety of efforts that increased funding for public schools in the state, increased teacher salaries and expanded the access available to all students to receive a quality education.
Once she was part of the Arizona State Legislature, she worked hard to sponsor legislation that improved the education system even more. For instance, she worked on bills that were aimed at reducing the average class size in addition to increasing funding used for various school resources.
The RELIEVE Act Was Designed To Improve Reimbursement Process For Veterans
Sinema fought for the “Removing Extraneous Loopholes Insuring Every Veteran Emergency” (RELIEVE) Act to improve the quality of care for veterans. Specifically, this act was designed to improve the reimbursement process that veterans endured when receiving emergency treatment at non-Veterans Affairs facilities.
She noted that Arizona was home to “over 500,000 veterans.” Sinema felt that working to increase access to healthcare for those veterans was “critical to ensuring the health and safety” of the “state as a whole.”
The HEALTH Act Focused On Providing Timely Access To Quality Healthcare
In addition to the RELIEVE act, Kyrsten Sinema also highlighted the HEALTH Act. This bipartisan bill, which was also referred to as the “Health Empowerment, Access, Leadership, and Transparency” Act, was designed to help veterans be able to always access quality care in a timely fashion.
To accomplish this goal, the act outlined ways that necessary improvements could be made to the VA Community Care program. According to her website, the goal was to provide “predictability, stability, and certainty to Arizona veterans in need of care.”
Sinema Fought To Strengthen Veterans’ Access To Care In Arizona
Senator Sinema highlighted the need to strengthen veterans’ access to quality care during a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing held last July. She used the opportunity to highlight two of her bipartisan bills as well.
Both bills were designed to offer lasting solutions regarding affordable care options made available to veterans.
President Biden Praised Sinema For Her Role In Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
President Joe Biden even praised Kyrsten Sinema for the integral role that she played with the bipartisan infrastructure bill. This $1.2 trillion package was designed to improve roads, airports, and bridges throughout the United States.
It also benefits the U.S. water supply and rail lines. The White House even boasted that the package would create at least 1.5 million jobs each year for the next 10 years.
Sinema Delivered A Lot Of Republican Votes For Bipartisan Gun Bill
Another major accomplishment of Sinema’s career was the role she played behind the scenes of the bipartisan gun bill. This bill was viewed as the first breakthrough for gun reform in nearly 30 years.
Quite a few Democrats were impressed by how many Republican votes Sinema was able to deliver at the negotiating table. Sinema also helped to save the plan that was designed to help America become competitive in the microchip industry.
Sinema Was Also A Lawyer With A Private Practice In Arizona
Kyrsten Sinema also earned her juris doctorate in 2004 from Arizona State University followed by her doctorate 8 years later from the same institution. She worked as an attorney with a private practice that specialized in family law.
Sinema used her career as an attorney to represent individuals and families with such legal matters as child custody, divorce, and domestic violence cases. She was also an adjunct professor for Arizona State University back in 2003.
