Kyrsten Sinema

Kyrsten Sinema
United States Senator from Arizona
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2019 Serving with Mark Kelly
Preceded by	Jeff Flake
Succeeded by	Ruben Gallego (elect)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 9th district
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Greg Stanton
Member of the Arizona Senate from the 15th district
In office January 10, 2011 – January 3, 2012
Preceded by	Ken Cheuvront
Succeeded by	David Lujan
Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 15th district
In office January 10, 2005 – January 10, 2011
Preceded by	Wally Straughn Ken Clark
Succeeded by	Lela Alston Katie Hobbs
Personal details
Born	Kyrsten Lea Sinema (1976-07-12) July 12, 1976 (age 48) Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Political party	Independent (2022–present) Democratic (2004–2022)
Education	Brigham Young University (BA) Arizona State University (MSW, JD, PhD)
Signature
Website	House website

Kyrsten Lea Sinema (/ˈkɪərstən ˈsɪnəmə/; born July 12, 1976) is the senior United States Senator from Arizona since January 3, 2019. She was the U.S. Representative for Arizona's 9th congressional district. She was first elected in 2012.

Sinema is an independent. She served in both chambers of the State Legislature, being elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2004 and the Arizona Senate in 2010.

Sinema has worked for the adoption of the DREAM Act, pro-immigration reforms and supports same-sex marriage. She was the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Congress.^[1]

Sinema ran in the United States Senate election in Arizona in 2018 to replace Senator Jeff Flake, who retired from the seat.^[2] She won the Democratic nomination in August 2018 and defeated Republican Martha McSally.

Sinema is the first female senator elected in Arizona and the second openly LGBT person ever to serve in the Senate, after Tammy Baldwin.^[3]

On December 9, 2022, Sinema left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent.^[4]

1. ↑ O'Dowd, Peter (January 1, 2013). "Sinema, First Openly Bisexual Member Of Congress, Represents 'Changing Arizona'". NPR. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
2. ↑ Pitzulo, Carrie (2017-09-11). "Democratic Rep. Sinema launches Arizona senate bid". Politico. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
3. ↑ Roig-Franzia, Manuel (January 2, 2013). "Kyrsten Sinema: A success story like nobody else's". The Washington Post. Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
4. ↑ Cowan, Richard; Chiacu, Doina (2022-12-10). "Kyrsten Sinema leaves Democratic Party, adding drama to tight Senate margin". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-12-11.