Centrist Democrat Kyrsten Sinema flips Arizona Senate seat
Posted November 13, 2018 6:00 am
Kyrsten Sinema pulled off the Democratic Party's biggest win of the election by running as a centrist.
Her victory in the Arizona Senate race is a contrast to some other high-profile liberals who tried to turn red states like Georgia and Texas blue. Sinema became the victor over Republican Martha McSally on Monday after a slow count of mail-in ballots.
Sinema is an openly bisexual former Green Party activist who remade herself into a centrist.
She ran promising to be a nonpartisan problem-solver and hitting McSally over her vote to weaken protection for people with pre-existing medical conditions. She did not attack President Donald Trump and treaded lightly on immigration.
That's a volatile issue in Arizona with its growing, Democratic-leaning immigrant population.
U.S. Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., declares victory over Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sinema won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat in a race that was among the most closely watched in the nation, beating McSally in the battle to replace GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Associated Press
U.S. Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., declares victory over Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sinema won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat in a race that was among the most closely watched in the nation, beating McSally in the battle to replace GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2018, file photo, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., goes over the rules in a television studio prior to a televised debate with U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., in Phoenix. Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema has won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat, defeating McSally. The race between Sinema and McSally was one of the most-watched in the nation. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
The Associated Press
U.S. Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks after being declared the winner over Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sinema won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat in a race that was among the most closely watched in the nation, beating McSally in the battle to replace GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Associated Press
U.S. Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks after being declared the winner over Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sinema won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat in a race that was among the most closely watched in the nation, beating McSally in the battle to replace GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2018 file photo, U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., goes over the rules in a television studio prior to a televised debate with U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., in Phoenix. Sinema won Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat Monday, Nov. 12, in a race that was among the most closely watched in the nation, beating Republican Rep. Martha McSally in the battle to replace GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
The Associated Press
An elections worker prepares ballots before inserting them into a counting machine at Pima County Elections in Tucson, Ariz., Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Rick Wiley /Arizona Daily Star via AP)
The Associated Press
An elections worker examines a ballot before inserting it into a counting machine at Pima County Elections in Tucson, Ariz., Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Rick Wiley/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
The Associated Press
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