The Arizona Democratic Party censured Senator Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) for refusing to repeal the Senate filibuster to pass major voting rights reforms. After Sinema’s vote to maintain the 60-vote threshold for the Senate this week, the executive board issued a public rebuke Saturday. Her decision helped scuttle President Biden’s goal of passing major election reforms.
Raquel Teran, Arizona Democratic Party Chair, stated in a statement that “I want it to be clear, Arizona Democratic Party is an eclectic coalition with lots of room for policy differences, however, on the matter of filibuster, and the urgency of protecting voting rights, we’ve been crystal clear.” “We chose the former when faced with the dilemma of preserving Arizonans’ rights to vote or an archaic legislative norm. We will always choose the latter.”
Teran mentioned efforts made by Republicans in Arizona to limit voter access and stated that federal voting rights legislation was necessary to preserve democracy.
She wrote that while she did not take pleasure in the announcement, the ADP Executive Board had decided to officially censure Senator Sinema because of her failure to do what it takes to protect our democracy.
The Saturday board action is the result of a resolution Arizona Democratic Party members passed in the fall that allowed the executive board to censure Simena if she chose not to protect the filibuster or obstruct voting rights legislation.
Teran stated that the party appreciated Sinema’s passing major coronavirus relief legislation as well as leading on bipartisan infrastructure legislation. However, the party couldn’t ignore her recent vote because of the “ramifications” of failing to pass federal legislation to protect their right to vote.
“During three terms at the U.S. House and now in Senate, Kyrsten had always promised Arizonans that she would be an independent voice in the state — not for any political party,” Simena’s office stated in a statement to Fox News Digital. “She has delivered for Arizonans, and has always been open about her position.”
Last week, the senator delivered a passionate speech on the Senate floor where she supported voting rights legislation but stated that she couldn’t break the filibuster in order to get it passed. To foster bipartisanship, she said that the threshold of 60 votes is necessary.
Sinema stated, “[W]hile [I] continue to support these laws, I will not support separative actions that worsen our country’s underlying disease of separation.”
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