Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has seen her fair share of headlines over the last few months, what with her controversial legislative approach toward the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Democrats' social spending package — a much-criticized negotiation strategy that's awarded her both President Biden's ear and near-total control of the Senate.
As it were, some of those headlines have focused on the increasing pressure to challenge the senator ahead of her re-election in 2024. But don't worry — she's not concerned about that right now.
"I'm not thinking about 2024," Sinema told The Arizona Republic. "What I am thinking about is the work that I'm doing for Arizona right now."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When asked if she thought perhaps a "progressive Democrat could win a statewide race" in the newly-purple Arizona, the senator dismissed the question.
"I leave the punditry to the pundits, and that's not part of my job description."
If the lawmaker were otherwsie bothered by the criticism she's received or the re-election speculation, you wouldn't know it, reports the Republic. Sinema said "deep, trusting relationships" with members of her own party — like Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) — have allowed her to work effectively on Capitol Hill, and maintains that all voters want is a "normal government that operates" (though some may find that statement ironic given the circumstances).
She added: "Voters are looking for people who just want to solve problems and get things done and are talking about how to do it in a very practical and pragmatic way that is within the circle of what's normal."
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
