Sinema Bemoans partisanship, Wants to Remove “Poison” From Politics

• Sunday, Sen. Sinema defended her decision not to join the Democratic Party but to become an Independent.
• Sinema stated that she does not want to be “tethered” by partisanship on CNN’s State of the Union.
• Sinema’s decision is not going to affect the 51-49 majority that Democrats will enjoy during the upcoming session.

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema made headlines last week when she announced her departure from the Democratic Party to become an Independent. She said that Sunday’s decision was rooted “not being tethered by partisanship.”

Sinema has encountered a variety of problems with progressives since her 2018 Senate election. She told CNN that many politicians in Washington wouldn’t understand her choice. But she insists that it would allow them to reject the polarization she claims has become a major problem.

“I know that this is very difficult for many people, especially in DC. But, what’s important to us is to not be tethered to the partisanship today,” she said to CNN’s Jake Tapper. “And I think Americans have had enough of it. It’s a tired concept, I believe.

Tapper asked her about her positions, which would overwhelmingly resemble those of the Democratic Party. She replied that she wanted to work as a senator “in a productive way” and “free from all the trappings of politics.”

“The national parties have pulled our politics further to the margins than I have ever seen.” She stated that she wanted to eliminate some of the poisonous elements in our politics. “I want to go back to working on the issues and working together to solve these problems.”