Arizona Sen. Sinema approval plummets with Dems, rises with independents

Arizona Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has seen her approval rating among Democrats plummet following her decision to leave the party and register as an independent.

The moderate lawmaker garnered support from just 30% of registered Arizona Democrats, according to the latest Morning Consult survey, according to The Hill. She performed modestly better prior to her December party switch with 42% of Democrats approving of her performance.

A substantial majority of 59% of Democrats disapprove of Sinema. She has long been a moderate in Congress and has often stood in the way of major party legislative items. Sinema famously refused to compromise on abolishing the filibuster or creating a carveout to allow the then-Democratic Congress to ram through abortion protections in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision in 2022.

It is not all bad news for the rogue senator, however, as independents increasingly support her. Forty-two percent of independents backed her, marking a 13-point increase from the last survey. A further 43% of Republicans approved of her performance.

Sinema's term expires in 2025. She was first elected to office in 2018, triumphing over Republican nominee Martha McSally, who Republican Gov. Doug Ducey later appointed to a Senate seat.