In 2018, then-U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema was portrayed by the media and her campaign as an “independent voice” for Arizona. Through carefully cultivated TV ads, superficial mailers, and occasionally in her own words, Sinema intended to make crystal clear to voters that the term “Democrat” barely existed in her vernacular.
The question is, was this version of Sinema reality or make-believe?
Sinema promised she would be a different kind of politician; one who would reject her Party in the name of principle. In an October 2018 interview with KTAR, when asked if she was a “proud Democrat,” Sinema responded, “Gosh, it’s hard to say proud.” She echoed as much on the campaign trail, speaking often about her desire to work across the aisle and lead bipartisan efforts to secure a better future for our state.
As Arizonans enjoy the benefits of a president who is keeping his promises, it’s easy to see how this confidence could have translated into a belief that Sinema might also do the same. Or maybe Arizona voters believed the “Blue Dog” Democrat brand that Sinema was selling was for real.
By voting to convict, Sinema caved to the Democrats’ false impeachment narrative and proved that Sen. Chuck Schumer’s convincing was enough to outweigh her conviction (if she had any in the first place).
