Senator-elect Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) released a statement Wednesday explaining her vote for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as Senate Minority Leader after she specifically said on the campaign trail that she would not vote for him.
Life comes at you fast when you're Kyrsten Sinema. pic.twitter.com/lKBcoHY2A6
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) November 14, 2018
“Arizonans know I will work with anyone — in either party — to get things done for our state,” Sinema said.
She argued that if someone had challenged Sen. Schumer for the position of minority leader she would have "considered" voting for them.
“It’s time for a new approach on both sides of the aisle and I look forward to working with my colleagues to cut through the dysfunction and deliver results for Arizona,” she continued. “Had there been a challenger for Minority Leader, I would have considered new leadership and a fresh perspective. I will continue to put Arizona over party.”
Sinema ran as a centrist to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ). She said she would not describe herself as a “proud Democrat.”
However, she has already begun working with the Democratic leadership she opposed on the campaign trail. She was pictured in a tweet Wednesday meeting with Schumer.
Women of the West. Two new great women Democratic senators from the western part of the United States, Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona and Jacky Rosen from Nevada. So proud we’ll be working with them in January. pic.twitter.com/jx3heTQFde
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 13, 2018
One of her constituents was not thrilled over Sinema's immediate flip-flop.