Loyal Sinema Party Member Kyrsten Sinema's Never Gonna Be A Republican, OK?

Here's why that's so unlikely.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, an actual real-live Democrat, is officially challenging incumbent Kyrsten Sinema for the Senate seat she holds in a timeshare with her big-money donors. Sinema is no longer a member of the Democratic Party but she still caucuses with Senate Democrats because she's loyal to her past loves. Yeah, no, we're obviously kidding. Democrats are in the majority, and this guarantees Sinema more influence.

However, Senate Minority Whip John Thune from South Dakota, billed as one of Sinema's "best friends in the chamber," has generously left the light on for Sinema in the Republican Party. He's urging her to fully defect and avoid a messy three-way race she's sure to lose.

“Obviously we’d love to have her become a Republican or at least caucus [with] Republicans," Thune said, as we imagine him scribbling "JT + KS" in a little heart. "That would make things a little more clear."

We're sure it would. It was possibly even an option if Republicans had flipped the Senate or even if Democrats still had just 50 seats. But Democrats now have 51 — 52 if you count John Fetterman twice — so the worst Sinema can do is annoy us, which she manages so well.

PREVIOUSLY:

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There's also the obvious reality that if Sinema couldn't win a Democratic primary (and she wouldn't), she sure as hell can't successfully compete in a Republican one. Whenever folks start to fret about Sinema officially becoming a Decepticon Republican, I point to her actual voting record. She's far more liberal than even the most "moderate" Republican senators, such as Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who arguably only held her seat because of Alaska's ranked-choice voting. That's not an option in Arizona.

Sinema has voted more often with President Joe Biden than, for example, Jon Tester from Montana. However, Tester tweets videos about overturning Citizens United and fighting dark money in politics, while Sinema shares self-promoting videos that look like she's applying for membership in a restricted country club.

 Here's Gallant Tester:  

“The Senate is back in session, so I’m on my way to reintroduce two bills that’ll kick dark money out of our elections. —My “Corporations Are Not People” Amendment to overturn Citizens United —And my SUN Act, to shine a light on big money donors and bring more transparency.”

— Senator Jon Tester (@Senator Jon Tester) 1674510046 

 And Goofus Sinema:  

““Hey, look at my obvious campaign ad,” says giant fraud who claimed just last week that voters don’t care about campaigns”

— Stephen Robinson (@Stephen Robinson) 1674509430 

That's Sinema's whole problem. Gallego isn't necessarily challenging Sinema from the left. He's simply running as a Democrat who's relatable and actually gives a crap about his constituents. Sinema has gone out of her way to antagonize Democratic voters to no apparent benefit. She's slightly more popular now with independents and Republicans after her party switch, but she's still underwater with those groups . She has no coalition.

We don't know what makes her think there's a market for "sensible" corporate politicians who lecture voters like they're children. There certainly isn't one in the current faux-populist Republican Party, where what Tim Miller calls "Team Normal" candidates lost in 2022 to MAGA loons likeBlake Masters and Kari Lake. 

Thune, of course, can't even promise that Republicans would clear the field for Sinema in 2024. Like every general contractor you absolutely shouldn't trust, he only said, "We’ll see. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it." Sir, that bridge is already on fire. Senate (Still) Minority Leader Mitch McConnell sheepishly admitted that he was helpless to save Republicans from the extremist candidates they willingly selected in their primaries.

That creepy ghoul Masters, who failed to unseat Sen. Mark Kelly, claimed Gallego is as "left-wing as they come" and "supports gun confiscation, voted for abortion up through the moment of birth, and supported every tax and spend bill Pelosi put in front of him. No thank you."

In response, Gallego dunked Masters's head in a toilet. I love this guy.  

“I will definitely lose the American Psycho demographic to this guy.”

— Ruben Gallego (@Ruben Gallego) 1674529943 

Sinema's actual record on guns, abortion rights, and even federal spending, is hardly one that would make her welcome in the Republican Party. And although Republicans are mostly terrible, they still actively support and campaign for each other. We don't see Sinema becoming any less toxically self-involved, even for her besties Thune and McConnell.

[ The Hill ]

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