'She's the Worst Kind of Hypocrite': Sinema Backlash Begins Among Democrats

Kyrsten Sinema has come under fire from prominent Democrats after quitting the party, with one former colleague accusing her of breaking a vow not to "go negative" during a 2012 primary election.

The Arizona Senator announced she was leaving the Democrats and registering as an independent on Friday, saying she had "joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics."

The defection means there are now 50 Senators caucusing with the Democrats, versus 49 for the Republicans, though Sinema has said she doesn't plan to change the way she votes.

After Sinema's declaration she was criticized by David Schapira, a former colleague in the Arizona State Legislator, who claimed his fellow Democrat would "stop at nothing and step on anyone to get what she wants."

In 2012 Sinema beat Schapira in a primary race to be the Democratic candidate for Arizona's newly created 9th congressional district.

In a ten-piece Twitter thread Schapira claimed the two started out as "friends," and had "committed we would not 'go negative' against each other in the campaign."

However, after his campaign "pulled ahead" Kyrsten's team "spent hundreds of thousands of dollars" on two "ridiculous" mailout attack ads, claiming Schapira "supported John McCain for President over Obama" and "supported private-school vouchers."

He added: "Kyrsten broke a promise to me and AZ voters to run a clean campaign. She lied about a friend to win an election. She later apologized and told me she had to do it or she would have lost, as if that made it okay.

"And that brings me to the moral of this story... Kyrsten is the worst kind of hypocrite. Believe it or not, her core beliefs align with the progressive values of the Democrats, BUT there is nothing she won't say or do to increase her notoriety or importance. She will abandon values and friendships to climb to the top."

In a statement following her defection the Arizona Democratic Party claimed Sinema "has shown she answers to corporations and billionaires, not Arizonans."

Ruben Gallego, who represents Arizona's 7^th Congressional district in the House, accused Sinema of "putting her own interests ahead of getting things done for Arizonans."

Sinema also came under fire from New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who tweeted out an 11 second clip of himself saying "Bye Felicia" followed by a thumbs down. An automatic voice then says "you were never a Democrat anyways."

The thumbs down appears to be a reference to Sinema's use of the gesture in 2021 on the Senate floor, after voting against a minimum wage increase in Biden's coronavirus aid bill.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another New York Democrat, said she was "grateful" Sinema had quit the Democrats meaning "this race & nomination has opened up."

Following Sinema's departure some conservatives called on the rebellious Democratic Senator Joe Manchin to follow her out of the party, meaning the Democrats would only retain a Senate majority thanks to the vice-president's tie-breaking vote.

Kyrsten Sinema has been contacted for comment.