Kyrsten Sinema is the senator for the state of Arizona and a member of the Democratic Party. Senator Sinema has been in office since January 3, 2019, her current term will end January 3, 2025. In the last few months, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Sinema’s policies and her political affiliation.
One of the most recent controversies involves Sinema rejecting the filibuster. The Filibuster refers to a distraction that is typically used in the senate to delay or prolong a piece of legislation from passing. In simple terms, the filibuster is an extended debate.
There are many issues with filibustering including the fact that it can be used to block any legislation, especially those that aren’t typically favored by the Senate. The current bill being blocked by the Senate surrounds voting rights. The Democratic Party wants to abolish the filibuster but without two-thirds votes from the Senate, it can’t pass.
Senator Sinema did publicly support the voting rights bill but has also continued to support the filibuster, leaving many progressives in her state frustrated. In the recent vote, Sinema has voted against ending the filibuster. She believes that it would create stronger political division if it was completely withdrawn from American politics.
This move could be potentially detrimental if she plans to run for re-election. Many who supported her are willing to turn their backs or withdraw all funding towards any of her campaigns. Arizona Democrats have censured Sinema because of her vote.
To censure someone means to give a formal statement of disapproval that could potentially ruin their relationship with the Senate. Sinema has already received disapproval from the Democratic Party but has captured the attention of many Republicans.
Other powerful groups have urged Sinema to change her vote. This includes Emily’s List, a political action committee that aids pro-choice female Democrat politicians to get elected. The organization has stated that they’ll withdraw all endorsements towards Sinema and that she could potentially run empty handed in 2024.
As the filibuster remains a hot topic in the country, and in the Senate, Sinema refuses to withdraw her vote, costing her democratic support.
