Arizona Independent Sen. Sinema announces not running for 2024 reelection

Arizona Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced Tuesday that she is not running for 2024 reelection.

Sinema made the announcement in a video on social media. 

"I believe in my approach but it's not what America wants right now," she said in the video. "I love Arizona, and I am so proud of what we've delivered. Because I chose civility, understanding, listening, working together to get stuff done, I will leave the Senate at the end of the year," she added, after decrying the zero-sum partisanship of Congress.  

The race is now a close contest between top candidates Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego and the GOP's Kari Lake.

Sinema became an independent in 2022, switching from the Democratic Party, though she was long known for her independent spirit. She famously stood against the tide of her own party when its leadership sought to nuke the Senate filibuster in 2022. 

Sinema was left in a political no-man's land, serving as Senator in a state that in recent years has moved away from being more strongly conservative, but has now elected Democrats to both Senate seats and the Governors' office since 2018. 

With Arizona's primary March 19, and Sinema having yet to announce a reelection campaign, her announcement came as no large surprise.