Sens Kelly and Sinema at a ASU appearance/The State Press
By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez | Arizona Republic
Sen. Mark Kelly broke his silence over the censure of his Democratic colleague Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, with a campaign spokesperson saying he disagreed with it and she should not be singled out over her opposition to changing the Senate’s filibuster rules.
“Senator Kelly does not support the censure,” Sarah Guggenheimer of the Kelly campaign told The Arizona Republic Tuesday.
“While they came to different decisions on this vote, he looks forward to continuing to work with Senator Sinema on Arizona priorities, as they have done during his first year in the Senate to pass critical infrastructure investments that will create good-paying jobs,” Guggenheimer said.
Kelly, D-Ariz., is in good standing with the party and his support of Sinema, D-Ariz., could help diffuse some of the animosity towards Sinema that is coming from progressives over an issue that the left often casts as key to the fate of President Joe BIden’s agenda and fair elections across the country.
The words from Kelly’s campaign offered support from a freshman senator who is facing re-election in November for Sinema, who is now facing open talk of a primary challenge from Arizona Democrats and fellow senators.
Last week, Kelly, D-Ariz., voted with most Senate Democrats to enact a “talking filibuster” rule to try to advance the voting rights legislation.
Kelly’s words for his own party were more measured than his criticism of Republicans for censuring ambassadors Cindy McCain and Jeff Flake after their support for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Kelly opposed last year’s censure by the Arizona Republican Party of McCain, the Republican widow of the late Sen. John McCain, for endorsing Biden for president and helping him narrowly win Arizona. At the time, he called the GOP’s move “embarrassing and shameful.”
McCain “has always done what she thinks is right for Arizona and our country. That’s something we should all admire, no matter which party we belong to.” Kelly said via Twitter.
The state Democratic Party’s executive board announced the censure after meeting privately Saturday ahead of an annual gathering of state committee members.
