Kyrsten Sinema’s Departure from Democratic Party Echoed by Abandoning Democratic Donors

Kyrsten Sinema, the first openly bisexual U.S. Senator from Arizona, made a significant political shift last year by switching from the Democratic Party to become an independent. However, this move may have negative consequences for her potential reelection bid in 2024.

Although Sinema has not officially declared her intention to seek reelection, she has been actively raising campaign funds. Nevertheless, her Democratic counterpart, Representative Ruben Gallego, has already announced his candidacy for the Senate seat and has managed to outpace Sinema in fundraising from Democratic donors, as reported by Politico.

Sinema, who initially ran as a progressive candidate, has disappointed many of her former supporters by aligning herself closely with corporate interests and resisting efforts to eliminate the filibuster, which obstructs the passage of progressive legislation. Consequently, Gallego is positioning himself as a more liberal alternative.

According to Politico, Gallego has received $691,000 from major donors who previously supported Sinema during her 2018 campaign, surpassing Sinema’s own fundraising efforts of $277,000. Gallego has also managed to outfundraise Sinema among those who contributed to the campaign of Arizona’s other Democratic Senator, Mark Kelly.

Sinema has struggled to bridge the fundraising gap with support from Republican or independent donors. In the first nine months of 2023, she raised $4.6 million overall, while Gallego raised an impressive $10 million. Politico notes that although Sinema still maintains a substantial financial advantage with $10.8 million in her campaign account, her fundraising has slowed down, and much of the money was obtained prior to her departure from the Democratic Party.

Despite caucusing with the Democrats, Sinema’s seat holds significant importance for the party in maintaining its narrow Senate majority. Some Democrats express concerns that Gallego’s liberal stance may hinder his chances of winning statewide in Arizona. On the other hand, if Sinema decides to run, Republicans fear that she could attract independent and moderate voters away from Kari Lake, a far-right Republican and ally of former President Donald Trump. Lake, who ran for Arizona governor last year and has yet to concede her loss, has recently announced her Senate candidacy as a Republican.

In summary, Kyrsten Sinema’s switch from the Democratic Party to become an independent may harm her chances of reelection in 2024. Despite maintaining a financial advantage over her Democratic opponent Ruben Gallego, Sinema’s fundraising has slowed down, and Gallego has managed to attract significant support from former donors. The outcome of the election remains uncertain, as Democrats worry about Gallego’s liberal platform while Republicans fear Sinema’s potential appeal to independent and moderate voters.