Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema remains steadfast in choice to not eliminate filibuster

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona isn’t backing down from her decision to not eliminate the Senate filibuster, even going as far as high-fiving a colleague earlier this week who also was against the reform.

Sinema, an independent, was on a panel earlier this week in Davos, Switzerland, when she slapped hands with Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

Manchin and Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in December, were the driving forces behind the blockages that halted some key Democratic legislative priorities.

“I was really proud to go on that trip to discuss with policymakers and think about bipartisanship and working with others to solve problems,” Sinema told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Friday.

“I’m glad of the stand that I took to preserve the rule of law in the United States Senate.”

Sinema said she was “focused on delivering real results” and scoffed at critics who warned of issues that would arise without filibuster reform.

Her support for a Senate rule requiring support from 60% of lawmakers to pass most legislation was a major tension in her strained relationship with Democrats, who worried that allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump would interfere with elections.

“You know, folks on one side of the aisle said that if the filibuster wasn’t eliminated, there would never be another free or fair election in our country … the reality is that we had a free and fair election last year,” Sinema said.

Arizona’s senior senator also pointed to successes passing legislation in the past two years, including infrastructure and chips upgrades.

“We got so much done and we did in a bipartisan way, that’s what Americans want from us and that’s what I’ll keep delivering,” Sinema said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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