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.
What Sinema was selling to voters isn't for real
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.
Either way, it’s clear that this “independent” caricature of Sinema is nothing more than an elaborate facade.
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).
In Sinema, Arizonans elected someone who they thought would listen, be objective, and serve independent of political parties and special interests. Instead, we were dealt another radical Democrat in sheep’s clothing.
Sinema ignored public sentiment on proceeding
If she cared at all about being an independent voice in the Senate, Sinema would have rejected her party’s impeachment sham. If Sinema truly represented independent voices in Arizona, voting to convict the president would’ve been out of the question. In poll after poll after poll, Arizonans made abundantly clear that they opposed impeachment and want to see Congress get back to work.
The results of an October 2019 New York Times-Siena College Poll found between 51 and 53 percent opposed impeachment in the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Another poll of Arizona voters conducted one month later bore out similar results, showing independents disapproved of impeachment by 7-plus points. Again, in the most recent state poll, 52 percent of Arizonans opposed impeachment and removal of President Trump from office while only 43 percent supported.
Senator proves she's partisan like all Democrats
Sinema loves to constantly criticize party politics and toxicity in Washington. It certainly makes for a good sound-bite, and yet, from the beginning, the Democrats’ impeachment charade has been completely partisan. Democrats are on record voicing their desire to impeach President Trump since before he was even sworn into office. With her latest vote, Sinema has proven she’s the rule, not the exception.
In her victory speech in 2018, Sinema urged unity over division, saying, “We must be willing to put down our sticks sharpened for battle.” No doubt a refreshing sentiment.
But when it came time to vote on impeachment, she couldn’t help herself. In the end, Sinema betrayed the trust of Arizonans and put party politics above unifying the country.
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