Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced she is changing her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent on December 9.
She is now the third declared independent in the United States Senate, joining Senators Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
“I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent,” Sinema said via Twitter.
Sinema released an op-ed on December 9 detailing her reasons for leaving the Democratic Party. Sinema explained that she “never really fit into a box of any political party.”
She continued to explain that her loyalties are geared toward serving the people of Arizona and the nation rather than for the cause of either the Democratic or Republican party.
“Arizonans—including many registered as Democrats or Republicans—are eager for leaders who focus on common-sense solutions rather than party doctrine,” said Sinema.
She continued on to explain the dangers of extreme partisanship.
“When politicians are more focused on denying the opposition party a victory than they are on improving Americans’ lives, the people who lose are everyday Americans,” said Sinema.
“We understand that her decision to register as an independent in Arizona does not change the new Democratic majority control of the Senate, and we have every reason to expect that we will continue to work successfully with her,” said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a White House statement.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said that Sinema will keep her committee assignments. This indicates that Sinema will continue to caucus with the Democratic Party, effectively preserving the party’s 51 to 49 majority.
“Kyrsten is independent, that’s how she’s always been,” said Schumer according to Fox News.
Sinema told Politico that she does not intend to caucus with the Republican Party and that she intends to vote the same way she has up to this point.
“Becoming an independent won’t change my work in the Senate; my service to Arizona remains the same,” said Sinema.
