As the 2024 election cycle kicks into high gear, Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) is “not thinking” about whether or not she intends to run again.
Arizona’s filing deadline is on April 8, and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Republican Kari Lake, an ardent Trump supporter and former gubernatorial candidate, are already in the race.
“If Sinema runs for a second term, she would create an unpredictable three-way race as an underdog independent attempting to peel voters from” Gallego and Lake, according to Politico.
Sinema famously walked away from the Democratic party last year.
She has since focused her energy on immigration, doing her best to position herself as a bi-partisan deal-maker and cement her legacy.
“Before that, she helped broker a gun safety deal, rejected changes to the filibuster and cut down some provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act,” Politico reports.
Despite all that is at stake in 2024, Sinema still refuses to say whether she will run for reelection.
“I’m not thinking about that at all right now,” she told Politico. “You know what I am thinking [about]? The border.”
The deadline for filing may be in April, but if she does decide to seek a second term, as an Independent, she “would need to start collecting signatures to make the ballot well before then,” according to the outlet.
With more than $10 million in her campaign coffers, Sinema still trails Gallego and Lake in the polls.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the Senate GOP’s campaign chief, isn’t optimistic about Sinema’s chances.
“There’s not a path that we can see for Kyrsten in that race,” he told Politico. “It’s going to be Kyrsten’s decision, but I think it’s going to be a difficult path for her.”
If she does decide to throw her hat into the ring, it would “create a chaotic and indecipherable race in a challenging state,” cautions Politico. “It would undoubtedly affect the campaign strategies of both of her foes, even if she starts out in third place.”
Lake is already lobbing accusations at “tough guy” Gallego, claiming on X that he supports and “funds human trafficking, child-sex trafficking and drug smuggling.”
“AND he walked-out on his wife when she was 9-months pregnant then served her with divorce papers,” Lake stated on Saturday. “Arizonans demand better.”
Because Twitter “tough guy” @RubenGallego support & funds human trafficking, child-sex trafficking and drug smuggling.
AND he walked-out on his wife when she was 9-months pregnant then served her with divorce papers
Arizonans demand better. https://t.co/eYzRyXlmjg https://t.co/AvIABtkRv2
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) January 21, 2024
According to Lake, Arizona “is being used as a pipeline for the Largest Human Smuggling Operation in history.”
“Our country is being Invaded and the majority of the foreign army is coming through Arizona,” she wrote on X.
If elected, the former news anchor vowed she would on the first day begin working to “Stop the invasion; Fund & build the wall (all of it); Toss out the fraudulent asylum cases; [and] Restore a safe & secure border.”
“I would love to have your support as we take back this critical US Senate seat,” she told Arizonans.
Arizona,
Our beautiful state is being used as a pipeline for the Largest Human Smuggling Operation in history.
Our country is being Invaded and the majority of the foreign army is coming through Arizona.Starting on day one in the US Senate I will work to:
-Stop the invasion… https://t.co/Qn2HL5gad8— Kari Lake (@KariLake) January 20, 2024
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.