Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called Sen. Kirsten Cinema (I-Arizona) a “Corporate Democrat” on Sunday for “sabotaging” party priorities after announcing she was going independent. accused as.
While appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” with co-anchor Dana Bash, Sanders said she didn’t have the guts to take on a special stake while Cinema was attacking her voting record. I got
“She’s not,” Sanders said. “She is a corporate Democrat and, in fact, along with Senator Manchin, has obstructed a very important law.”
Cinema announced on Friday that she was leaving the Democratic Party. The move infuriated many within the party and came three days after Senator Rafael Warnock (D-Ga.) won re-election and the Democrats won his 51-49 majority in the Senate. .
Cinema maintains commission mandates through the Democratic caucuses. This allows the party to retain much of its newly acquired power compared to the power-sharing pact created by the current 50/50 composition.
But her move will make an important decision on whether Democrats will nominate their candidates for the upcoming 2024 Senate election in Arizona.
Cinema has not yet said whether she will run for re-election, but rumors have circulated that Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) or another progressive will pose a major challenge to cinema.
Sanders said of Cinema’s decision on CNN, “I think it’s likely that it has a lot to do with politics in Arizona.
“I don’t think a Democrat would be so keen on someone helping thwart some of the most important laws that protect interests such as working families and voting rights.” I think it really has something to do with aspirations.
The Hill has reached out to the cinema’s office for comment.
Sanders is currently one of three independents in the Senate, but both he and Sen. Angus King of Maine are attending the Democratic caucuses.
Cinema, along with Senator Joe Manchin (DW.Va.), was one of the most moderate members of the Senate Democratic Caucus and tried to pass major legislation with a very thin majority, thus defeating other members of the party. There were times when I got angry with the members.
She opposes efforts to eliminate filibuster, the Senate’s 60-vote threshold for passing most bills, and has fought over elements of the Democratic Party’s huge social spending bill, which has hurt corporate interests. It drew criticism from progressives for being complacent.
“Americans are taught that they have only two options, Democrats or Republicans, and that they must agree entirely with the party’s policy views, views that have been pulled to extremes. Most Arizonas. believed this to be the wrong choice, and when I ran for the House and Senate, I promised Arizonans something different.
