Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona posts shaky fundraising totals for possible reelection bid

PHOENIX – U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona independent who still hasn’t committed to a reelection run, turned in shaky fundraising totals for the last quarter, according to new campaign finance reports.

Sinema managed to raise only about $826,000 from July to September, about half of what she reported for the second quarter and less than a third of U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego’s third-quarter haul, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Gallego, the likely Democratic nominee in the 2024 race for Sinema’s seat, reported more than $3 million in receipts in his most recent quarterly filing.

The Phoenix Democrat spent over $1.8 million during the third quarter, leaving his Senate campaign with about $5 million cash on hand, a bump of about $1.2 million since the end of June.

Sinema, meanwhile, spent about $784,000 during Q3, almost as much as she took in. However, she entered the 2024 election cycle with a formidable war chest and still has nearly $10.8 million cash on hand.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, the only Republican required to file fundraising reports for the recently completed quarter, took in about $475,000 and spent more than $503,000, leaving him with just under $307,000 cash on hand.

Kari Lake, the presumptive GOP primary front-runner, didn’t officially enter the race until last week and won’t have to file fundraising numbers until January.

Will she or won’t she? Kyrsten Sinema mum on reelection

With the 2024 general election a little over a year away, it’s still not clear whether Sinema will be on the ballot in Arizona’s high-profile Senate race.

While she reportedly has been preparing to run for a second term, the incumbent hasn’t declared her intentions.

“No time frame on my mind. As you can tell, I’m 100% focused on getting the work done that needs to be done,” the former Democrat told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Gaydos & Chad Show in April. She’s provided similar responses to questions about her intentions since then, too.

Sinema wouldn’t have to worry about a primary to make the general election ballot after switching to independent last year, but she would have to collect approximately 44,000 valid signatures to qualify for the general election ballot.

Without or without her, Arizona’s Senate race will be one of most closely watched contests of 2024. The swing state seat could be pivotal to either party’s hopes of winning control of the chamber.

How is race for Ruben Gallego’s House seat going?

In the race for Gallego’s House seat in the heavily Democratic 3rd Congressional District, Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari continues to outraise Raquel Terán, a former Arizona Democratic Party chair.

Ansari raised about $763,000 in the last quarter and spent close to $180,000. That left her with nearly $583,000 cash on hand heading into October, almost doubling Terán’s war chest of about $296,000.

Terán, who stepped down from the state Senate earlier this year to focus on her congressional run, raised a shade under $437,000 last quarter and spent $141,000.

Two long shot District 3 candidates, Democrat Duane Wooten and Republican Jeffrey Zink, also filed reports for the third quarter, although they each took in less than $25,000.

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