Sinema Does… Something?

Hard to figure out the angle on this, other than that Krysten Sinema has the firm grip on political reality that one would expect of a former member of the Green Party:

“I’ve registered as an Arizona independent. I know some people might be a little bit surprised by this, but actually, I think it makes a lot of sense,” Sinema said in a Thursday interview with Tapper in her Senate office.

“I’ve never fit neatly into any party box. I’ve never really tried. I don’t want to,” she added. “Removing myself from the partisan structure – not only is it true to who I am and how I operate, I also think it’ll provide a place of belonging for many folks across the state and the country, who also are tired of the partisanship.”

Sinema’s move away from the Democratic Party is unlikely to change the power balance in the next Senate. Democrats will have a narrow 51-49 majority that includes two independents who caucus with them: Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.

While Sanders and King formally caucus with Democrats, Sinema declined to explicitly say that she would do the same. She did note, however, that she expects to keep her committee assignments – a signal that she doesn’t plan to upend the Senate composition, since Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer controls committee rosters for Democrats.

Sinema would have faced a tough primary, and the Democrats obviously aren’t going to cut her a break now. Since she’s apparently not going to caucus with the Republicans, seems awfully unlikely that she’ll win many GOP votes in 2024; what would be the point? I suppose she could be thinking that she’ll be able to thread the needle between a Democrat and a Republican, but some are suggesting that she simply has no intention to run again. In that case, a fitting end to a pretty useless political career.