Kyrsten Sinema

Kyrsten Sinema
Sinema in 2023
United States Senator from Arizona
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2019 Serving with Mark Kelly
Preceded by	Jeff Flake
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 9th district
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Greg Stanton
Member of the Arizona Senate from the 15th district
In office January 10, 2011 – January 3, 2012
Preceded by	Ken Cheuvront
Succeeded by	David Lujan
Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 15th district
In office January 10, 2005 – January 10, 2011 Serving with David Lujan
Preceded by	Wally Straughn Ken Clark
Succeeded by	Lela Alston Katie Hobbs
Personal details
Born	(1976-07-12) July 12, 1976 (age 47) Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Political party	Independent (2022–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (2004–2022)[a] Green (1994–2004)
Spouse	Blake Dain ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 1999)​
Education	Brigham Young University (BA) Arizona State University, Tempe (MSW, JD, PhD, MBA)
Signature
Website	Senate website
Kyrsten Sinema's voice Sinema on the retirement of Senator Rob Portman. Recorded December 8, 2022
^ Sinema still caucuses with the Democrats to receive committee assignments, but does not attend or vote in caucus meetings.

Kyrsten Lea Sinema (/ˈkɪərstən ˈsɪnəmə/ KEER-stən SIN-ə-mə; born July 12, 1976)^[1] is an American politician and former social worker serving as the senior United States senator from Arizona, a seat she has held since 2019. A former member of the Democratic Party, Sinema became an independent in December 2022.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Sinema served three terms as a state representative for the 15th legislative district from 2005 to 2011, one term as the state senator for the 15th legislative district from 2011 to 2012, and three terms as the United States representative for the 9th district from 2013 to 2019. She began her political career in the Arizona Green Party and rose to prominence for her progressive advocacy, supporting causes such as LGBT rights and opposing the war on terror. She left the Green Party to join the Arizona Democratic Party in 2004 and was elected to a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2012. After her election, she joined the New Democrat Coalition, the Blue Dog Coalition and the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, amassing one of the most conservative voting records in the Democratic caucus.^[7] Sinema won the 2018 Senate election to replace the retiring Jeff Flake, defeating Republican nominee Martha McSally. She is the first bisexual and the second openly LGBT woman (after Tammy Baldwin) to be elected to Congress, in the House of Representatives in 2012 and in the Senate in 2018.^[8] She is also the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona^[9] and the only religiously unaffiliated member of the US Senate.^[10]

Sinema was considered a key swing vote in the Senate,^{[11][12][13][14]} which was split 50–50 between Democrats and Republicans in the 117th U.S. Congress. She is one of three independents in the Senate, the others being Bernie Sanders and Angus King, both of whom also caucus with the Democrats. Sinema has announced she will not seek reelection in 2024.^[15]

Sinema is considered a controversial figure. Supporters have praised her strong emphasis on bipartisanship and negotiating with Republicans during a time of heightened political and social tension in the country.^[16] Conversely, critics accuse her of collaborating with wealthy members of the ruling class to her constituents' detriment.^[17] She attracted much negative attention from American progressives, particularly after her performative "thumbs down" gesture when voting against a minimum wage increase.