SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema surprised the nation this week when she announced that she would no longer be a member of the Democratic party and would instead be a registered Independent.
However, Sinema said that she will continue to caucus with Democrats. What does this move really mean for Congress?
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“Should Democrats be worried by this flip?” asked KCBS host Pat Thurston in a Friday interview.
“Not so much,” said KCBS Political Analyst Larry Gerston. “The Senate for some time has been girding for this, if you will, especially the Democrats.”
Sinema, along with Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, have frustrated other Democrats in the Senate by blocking bills that required full party support. Gerston said that her departure from the party may actually be a relief.
“Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of Independent is a reflection of who I have always been,” she said in a Friday video message.
According to Gerston, Sinema’s move to change up her party affiliation works to put her in “a position where she can have her cake and eat it,” for the next two years of her term. During that time, she will caucus with Democrats and keep Democratic committee positions.
“The way we see it and understand it, it does not change the new Democratic majority control of the Senate,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “And we have every reason to expect that we will continue to work with her successfully.”
With Sinema continuing to caucus with Democrats the party will “have a workable Senate majority in the next Congress,” per POLITICO, “though it will not exactly be the neat and tidy 51 seats they assumed.”
Just a few days before Sinema’s announcement, it seemed that the party would have them, when Sen. Raphael Warnock won a runoff election in Georgia against Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
POLITICO said Democrats are still expected to have the votes to control Senate committees. However, Sinema and Manchin could continue to hold up legislation for the Democrats as they have done in the past.
Sinema’s move will help Manchin “hold onto some but not all of his outsized influence in the Democratic caucus,” said POLITICO.
Going forward, Gerston explained that Sinema is now free from a challenge from any liberal Democrat in Arizona. When asked if becoming an Independent would help Sinema keep her seat, he said it is hard to predict.
“I mean, Arizona right now is going through such transition, it’s amazing,” said the analyst. While it was previously more solidly Republican, Arizona has become increasingly “purple” with more Independent registered voters than Democrats or Republicans.
“It might work for her,” Gerston said.
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