Arizona U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat who switched to independent in 2022 while in office, announced on March 5, Super Tuesday, that she will not seek reelection this year and will leave the Senate at the end of her first term.Sinema’s departure changes the dynamic of this year’s Senate race from a three-way battle to a more straightforward confrontation between Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake to fill her seat.Sinema — whose campaign had struggled to raise funds in the race — pointed to growing partisanship as a key reason for stepping down.Gov. Katie Hobbs issued the following statement Tuesday in the wake of Sinema’s announcement:“Senator Sinema is a friend, and I thank her for her years of service to the State of Arizona. She has been an important partner in Washington, D.C., who has fought to bring critical advanced manufacturing investments to Arizona, secure our border, and invest in our state’s roads, bridges, and broadband infrastructure. I wish her well in her future endeavors and look forward to seeing what her next chapter has in store.”Below is the full text of Sinema’s video statement released March 5 announcing her decision:In 2017, I warned we were approaching a crossroads.Our democracy was weakened by government dysfunction and the constant pull to the extremes by both political parties.I promised I would do my best to fix it.To protect and defend our constitution, to listen to others without judging, to focus on what unites us, and to make Americans’ lives better.Through listening, understanding, a …
