Yesterday, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Phoenix) seemed to say that she would not challenge Sen. Jeff Flake (R) next year, but now we’re not so sure. Her spokespeople are saying that the Congresswoman, during a Phoenix radio interview, indicated she is “currently” running for re-election, something that she apparently always says according to her office personnel, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that Sinema still won’t find her way into the Senate race.
Since she has been raising money at a ferocious pace - almost $700,000 during the first quarter and holding $2.8 million in the bank, approximately $1 million more than even incumbent Flake has – it seemed probable that the heavy early activity was in preparation for a statewide campaign. Her 9th Congressional District was a marginal seat when originally drawn in 2011, but now has moved considerably left and Rep. Sinema has made it safe for herself. Therefore, the early amount of fundraising is overkill for what she will need for a re-election campaign in the southeast Phoenix congressional district, hence the speculation that the money is actually for a US Senate challenge.
Obviously, there is much more to unfold in this story.
--Jim Ellis
Since she has been raising money at a ferocious pace - almost $700,000 during the first quarter and holding $2.8 million in the bank, approximately $1 million more than even incumbent Flake has – it seemed probable that the heavy early activity was in preparation for a statewide campaign. Her 9th Congressional District was a marginal seat when originally drawn in 2011, but now has moved considerably left and Rep. Sinema has made it safe for herself. Therefore, the early amount of fundraising is overkill for what she will need for a re-election campaign in the southeast Phoenix congressional district, hence the speculation that the money is actually for a US Senate challenge.
Obviously, there is much more to unfold in this story.
--Jim Ellis
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