History of Kyrsten Sinema in Timeline

Kyrsten Sinema is an American politician, lawyer, and former social worker. She served as a United States Senator from Arizona from 2019 to 2025. Initially a member of the Democratic Party, Sinema became an independent in December 2022. Her political career has been marked by a centrist stance, often diverging from traditional party lines and playing a key role in legislative negotiations.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

July 12, 1976: Kyrsten Sinema's Birth

On July 12, 1976, Kyrsten Lea Sinema was born. She later became an American politician, lawyer, and former social worker.

Others born on this day/year

1977: Dennis DeConcini in Senate

In 1977, Dennis DeConcini began representing Arizona in the United States Senate.

1995: Dennis DeConcini term ends

In 1995, Dennis DeConcini's term as a U.S. Senator representing Arizona came to an end.

1995: Graduation from BYU

In 1995, at age 18, Kyrsten Sinema earned her B.A. from Brigham Young University (BYU) and subsequently left the LDS Church. She returned to Arizona later that year.

1999: Master of Social Work

In 1999, while working as a social worker, Kyrsten Sinema completed a Master of Social Work degree at Arizona State University.

2000: Works on Nader Campaign

In 2000, Kyrsten Sinema worked on Ralph Nader's presidential campaign.

September 12, 2001: Core organizer against the war

Kyrsten Sinema stated that on September 12, 2001, she was one of the core organizers against the war and opposed war in all its forms.

2001: Runs for Local Office

In 2001, Kyrsten Sinema ran for local elected office as an independent, but lost.

2002: First Run for Arizona House

In 2002, Kyrsten Sinema first ran for the Arizona House of Representatives as an independent affiliated with the Arizona Green Party, finishing in last place.

2002: Criticizes Capitalism

In 2002, The Arizona Republic published a letter from Kyrsten Sinema criticizing capitalism.

February 15, 2003: Anti-War Protest

On February 15, 2003, Kyrsten Sinema led a group in Patriots Square Park in Phoenix, distributing flyers portraying a U.S. service member as a skeleton inflicting "U.S. terror" in Iraq and the Middle East.

February 2003: Promotion of anti-war rally

In February 2003, as an antiwar activist, Sinema helped promote a rally organized by Local to Global Justice, distributing flyers criticizing U.S. involvement in Iraq and the Middle East. The flyers contained strong anti-government sentiments.

2003: Adjunct Professor

In 2003, Kyrsten Sinema became an adjunct professor, teaching master's-level policy and grant-writing classes at Arizona State University School of Social Work and an adjunct business law professor at Arizona Summit Law School.

2003: Protests Lieberman's Presidential Bid

In 2003, Kyrsten Sinema protested Joe Lieberman's unsuccessful 2004 presidential bid.

2003: Remarks on Reagan, Bush, and the Taliban

In 2003, Kyrsten Sinema wrote that presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush were "the real Saddam and Osama lovers". On a local radio show, she said she did not care if someone joined the Taliban and fought on its behalf.

2004: Elected to Arizona House

In 2004, Kyrsten Sinema and David Lujan won the two seats for Arizona's 15th district, with 37 percent of the vote for Sinema and 34 percent for Lujan over incumbent representative Wally Straughn.

2004: Joins Democratic Party

In 2004, Kyrsten Sinema began her political career in the Arizona Green Party before joining the Arizona Democratic Party, and called herself a "Prada socialist".

2004: J.D. Degree

In 2004, Kyrsten Sinema earned a J.D. degree from Arizona State University College of Law and began working as a criminal defense lawyer.

2004: Lieberman's Presidential Bid

In 2004, Kyrsten Sinema protested Joe Lieberman's unsuccessful presidential bid, telling the Hartford Courant: "He's a shame to Democrats. I don't even know why he's running. He seems to want to get Republicans voting for him – what kind of strategy is that?"

2005: State Representative

In 2005, Kyrsten Sinema began serving as a state representative for the 15th legislative district, a role she held for three terms.

2005: Co-hosting Air America radio show

In 2005, Kyrsten Sinema co-hosted an Air America radio show with 9/11 truther Jeff Farias.

2005: First Public Comment as Elected Official

In 2005, Kyrsten Sinema made her first public comment as an elected official after a Republican colleague's speech insulted LGBT people, declaring, "We're simply people like everyone else who want and deserve respect."

2006: Opposition to war

In 2006, Kyrsten Sinema expressed her opposition to "war in all its forms," stating that she had been a core organizer against war since September 12, 2001.

2006: Controversial Comments on Feminism

In 2006, Kyrsten Sinema made controversial comments regarding women who choose to be stay-at-home mothers, calling it "bullshit". She later apologized.

2006: Liberal Member of Legislature

In 2006, Kyrsten Sinema told a radio host that she was "the most liberal member of the Arizona State Legislature". She also sponsored a bill urging the adoption of the DREAM Act.

2006: Opposition to Arizona Amendment banning same-sex marriages

In 2006, Sinema was a leading opponent of a proposed amendment to the Arizona state constitution that would have banned same-sex marriages and civil unions. The proposal ultimately failed.

2007: Introduced HB 2278

In 2007, while serving in the Arizona State Legislature, Kyrsten Sinema introduced HB 2278, which would have required the Arizona Supreme Court to replace any prior death sentence with a sentence of natural life.

November 4, 2008: Proposition 102 Approved

On November 4, 2008, Proposition 102, a referendum that proposed a ban on recognition of same-sex marriage in Arizona, was approved with 56% of the vote despite Kyrsten Sinema's campaign against it.

2008: Harvard Program Completion

In 2008, Kyrsten Sinema completed the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government program for senior executives in state and local government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.

2008: Opposition to second Arizona amendment banning same-sex marriage

In 2008, Sinema was in opposition to a second proposed amendment banning only same-sex marriage in Arizona. The amendment passed.

2008: Proposition 102 Passed

In 2008, a similar referendum, Proposition 102, passed in Arizona despite Sinema's efforts.

June 2009: Appointed to White House Health Reform Task Force

In June 2009, Kyrsten Sinema was one of 32 state legislators appointed by President Barack Obama to the White House Health Reform Task Force, which helped shape the Affordable Care Act.

2009: Assistant Minority Leader

In 2009, Kyrsten Sinema became an assistant Minority Leader for the Democratic Caucus of the Arizona House of Representatives.

2009: Published Unite and Conquer

In her 2009 book, "Unite and Conquer", Sinema explained her stance on capital punishment, writing that she opposed it "because I think no civilized society should use it as a punishment," though "since we have the death penalty in Arizona, I want to ensure that it's being implemented as fairly and judiciously as possible".

Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions That Win and Last

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March 2010: Attends Obamacare Bill Signing

In March 2010, Kyrsten Sinema was invited to attend the Obamacare bill signing at the White House due to her strong support of the bill.

2010: Bill Sponsorship and Recognition

In 2010, Kyrsten Sinema sponsored a bill to give in-state tuition to veterans, but it did not receive a vote. Also in 2010, she was named one of Time magazine's "40 Under 40".

2010: Presenter at Arizona Death Penalty Forum

In 2010, Kyrsten Sinema was a presenter at the Arizona Death Penalty Forum's Spring Conference, which was co-sponsored by Amnesty International and the ACLU of Arizona.

2010: Assistant Minority Leader

In 2010, Kyrsten Sinema was an assistant Minority Leader for the Democratic Caucus of the Arizona House of Representatives.

2010: Elected to Arizona Senate

In 2010, Kyrsten Sinema was elected to the Arizona Senate, defeating Republican Bob Thomas.

June 2011: Considering Run for U.S. House

In June 2011, Kyrsten Sinema said she was considering running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012.

2011: State Senator

In 2011, Kyrsten Sinema became the state senator for the 15th legislative district.

2011: "Meth Lab of Democracy" Comment

In 2011, Kyrsten Sinema called Arizona the "meth lab of democracy" in an address to Netroots Nation.

2011: Award for Science and Reason

In 2011, The Center for Inquiry gave Kyrsten Sinema its Award for the Advancement of Science and Reason in Public Policy.

January 3, 2012: Announces Bid for Congress

On January 3, 2012, Kyrsten Sinema announced her bid for Congress, in the 9th congressional district.

August 28, 2012: Wins Democratic Primary

On August 28, 2012, Kyrsten Sinema won the three-way Democratic primary with nearly 42 percent of the vote.

2012: Ph.D. in Justice Studies

In 2012, Kyrsten Sinema earned a Ph.D. in justice studies from Arizona State University.

2012: Election to the House of Representatives

In 2012, Kyrsten Sinema was elected to a seat in the United States House of Representatives.

2012: Obama Wins District

In 2012, President Barack Obama won the district by four points.

2012: Declines to Discuss Sexual Orientation

In 2012, when running for U.S. House, Kyrsten Sinema said she did not remember disclosing her sexual orientation in 2005 and declined to discuss the significance of being the first openly bisexual member of the House.

June 2013: Cosponsoring the LIBERT-E Act

In June 2013, Kyrsten Sinema became one of 29 original cosponsors of the bipartisan LIBERT-E Act, which aimed to limit the NSA's collection of electronic information to only subjects of an investigation.

July 2013: Voting against amendment to restrict NSA surveillance

In July 2013, Kyrsten Sinema joined a bipartisan majority in voting against an amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would have prohibited the NSA from monitoring and recording details of U.S. citizens' telecommunications without a warrant.

2013: U.S. Representative

In 2013, Kyrsten Sinema began serving as the United States representative for the 9th district, a role she held for three terms.

2013: Cosponsoring letter opposing Saudi Arabia's treatment of LGBTQ community

In 2013, Kyrsten Sinema co-sponsored Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney's letter, opposing Saudi Arabia for its use of torture and capital punishment against the LGBTQ community.

2013: Supports Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act

In 2013, on the House Financial Services Committee, Kyrsten Sinema supported the Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act, which sought to exempt certain financial instruments from some Dodd-Frank restrictions.

2013: National Journal vote ratings

In 2013, the National Journal's vote ratings placed Sinema near the center of their liberal-conservative scale.

August 26, 2014: Unopposed in Democratic Primary

On August 26, 2014, Kyrsten Sinema ran for reelection and was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

September 2014: Endorsed by U.S. Chamber of Commerce

In September 2014, Kyrsten Sinema was endorsed for reelection by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

2015: Co-sponsored anti-regulation bills

In 2015, Kyrsten Sinema co-sponsored anti-regulation bills, including the Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act of 2015, which was supported by Silicon Valley Bank's president. This bill ultimately did not pass.

2015: Voted with party majority

In 2015, Kyrsten Sinema voted with the majority of her party 73% of the time.

2015: Voted to repeal the estate tax

In 2015, Kyrsten Sinema was one of seven House Democrats who voted in favor of a Republican-backed bill to repeal the estate tax, which impacts a small percentage of wealthy Americans each year.

2015: Publication of doctoral dissertation

In 2015, Lexington Books published Sinema's doctoral dissertation under the title Who Must Die in Rwanda's Genocide?: The State of Exception Realized.

Who Must Die in Rwanda's Genocide?: The State of Exception Realized

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2015: Reauthorization of United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act

In 2015, the United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act was in effect, setting the stage for its reauthorization in 2019.

2016: Cosponsored Working Parents Flexibility Act

In 2016, Kyrsten Sinema cosponsored the Working Parents Flexibility Act (H.R. 4699) with Republican representative John Katko, which aimed to establish tax-free "parental savings accounts".

2016: Ideology score

In 2016, the National Journal gave Kyrsten Sinema a composite ideology score of 57% liberal and 43% conservative.

September 28, 2017: Announced candidacy for U.S. Senate

On September 28, 2017, Kyrsten Sinema officially announced her candidacy for the Class I United States Senate seat, which was held by Republican incumbent Jeff Flake, who had declined to seek reelection.

2017: Voted for Thin Blue Line Act

In 2017, Kyrsten Sinema voted with the majority of House Republicans on H.R. 115, the Thin Blue Line Act of 2017, which was opposed by the ACLU. The bill expanded the list of aggravating factors in death penalty determinations.

2017: Ed Buck scandal

In 2017, a homeless escort died of a drug overdose at the California home of Ed Buck, a prominent Democratic donor. This led to scrutiny and investigation.

2017: Individual tax cuts

In 2017, individual tax cuts were passed by the GOP.

March 2018: Donated campaign contributions to charity

In March 2018, Kyrsten Sinema donated $33,800 in campaign contributions to charity. These contributions were received from Ed Buck, a Democratic donor under scrutiny after a drug overdose death at his home in 2017.

April 2018: Raised over $8.2 million for Senate campaign

In April 2018, Federal Election Commission filings showed that Kyrsten Sinema had raised over $8.2 million for her Senate campaign, exceeding the combined total of her leading Republican primary contenders.

July 2018: Vote against abolishing ICE

In July 2018, Kyrsten Sinema broke with her party by voting with Republicans against abolishing ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

September 2018: Ran a moderate Senate campaign

In September 2018, Jonathan Martin of The New York Times described Kyrsten Sinema's Senate campaign as moderate and cautious, noting her reluctance to engage with controversial issues or highlight President Donald Trump.

September 2018: Voted to make tax cuts permanent

In September 2018, Kyrsten Sinema voted "to make individual tax cuts passed by the GOP [in 2017] permanent", breaking with her party. She was one of three Democrats to vote for the tax cuts being made permanent.

2018: Completes M.B.A.

In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema completed an online M.B.A. from the W. P. Carey School of Business.

2018: Stance on Roe v. Wade

In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema stated that Roe v. Wade should not be overturned and expressed support for a woman's right to have an abortion.

2018: Opposed Chuck Schumer for Minority Leader

In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema stated that she would vote against Chuck Schumer for Minority Leader if elected to the U.S. Senate, expressing dissatisfaction with the Democratic leadership.

2018: Won Democratic primary for Senate seat

In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema won the August Democratic primary for the Senate seat after refusing to debate her competitor, Deedra Abboud. Her Republican opponent in the general election was Martha McSally. Sinema received the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign.

2018: Election to the Senate

In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema won the Senate election to replace Jeff Flake, defeating Martha McSally. She became the first openly bisexual and second openly LGBTQ woman elected to the Senate, the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona, and the only religiously unaffiliated member of the Senate.

2018: McSally appointed to Senate

In 2018, Martha McSally, who was Sinema's 2018 general election opponent, was eventually appointed to fill the Senate seat that was vacated upon the resignation of Jon Kyl.

January 3, 2019: Sworn into the U.S. Senate

On January 3, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema was sworn into the 116th United States Congress after winning the U.S. Senate race, with Martha McSally conceding. She became the first woman to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate.

February 5, 2019: Voted on defense and security assistance bill

On February 5, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema voted for a bill that would make improvements to certain defense and security assistance provisions, authorize the appropriation of funds to Israel, and reauthorize the United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015.

February 12, 2019: Voting for the Natural Resources Management Act

On February 12, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema voted in favor of the Natural Resources Management Act, which concerns the management of the natural resources of the United States.

February 14, 2019: Voted to confirm William Barr as Attorney General

On February 14, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema voted to confirm William Barr as the Attorney General of the United States.

February 2019: Sponsoring the Employer Participation in Repayment Act

In February 2019, Kyrsten Sinema co-sponsored the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, which allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 to their employees' student loans.

March 13, 2019: Voted on removing US forces from Yemen

On March 13, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema voted to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress.

March 14, 2019: Voting against Trump's National Emergency declaration

On March 14, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema voted against President Trump's National Emergency declaration on border security.

July 30, 2019: Released proposal for child tax credit benefits

On July 30, 2019, Kyrsten Sinema and Senator Bill Cassidy released a proposal to allow new parents to advance their child tax credit benefits, receiving a $5,000 cash benefit upon the birth or adoption of a child, with a subsequent reduction in their child tax credit over the following decade.

2019: Sinema Becomes Senator

In 2019, Kyrsten Sinema became a United States Senator from Arizona.

2019: End of Term as U.S. Representative

In 2019, Kyrsten Sinema's three terms as the United States Representative for the 9th district came to an end.

2020: Summer Intern at Winery

In 2020, Kyrsten Sinema became a summer intern in a two-week program at Three Sticks Winery in Sonoma, California.

2020: Ratings from Planned Parenthood and Campaign for Working Families

In 2020, Kyrsten Sinema received a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood and a 0% rating from the Campaign for Working Families, reflecting her stance on abortion rights.

January 6, 2021: Urged support for January 6 commission

On January 6, 2021, Kyrsten Sinema urged her Senate colleagues to vote in favor of the proposed January 6 commission to investigate the storming of the United States Capitol. Sinema and Joe Manchin released a joint statement imploring Senate Republicans to work with them to find a path forward on the commission.

January 2021: Voting record in the Senate

According to FiveThirtyEight, as of January 2021, Kyrsten Sinema had voted in line with Donald Trump's position on legislation about 50% of the time. This led to a suggestion from the Arizona Democratic Party to censure her, though the censure was ultimately tabled.

January 25, 2021: Stance against eliminating the filibuster

On January 25, 2021, a spokesperson for Kyrsten Sinema told The Washington Post that she is "against eliminating the filibuster" and "not open to changing her mind" on the issue.

February 4, 2021: Voting against pandemic support for undocumented immigrants

On February 4, 2021, Kyrsten Sinema voted against providing COVID-19 pandemic financial support to undocumented immigrants.

February 12, 2021: Opposition to $15/hour minimum wage in COVID-19 relief bill

On February 12, 2021, Kyrsten Sinema announced her opposition to including a $15/hour minimum wage as part of a COVID-19 relief bill, becoming the second Democratic senator after Joe Manchin to do so.

March 5, 2021: Vote against minimum wage increase

On March 5, 2021, Sinema voted against Senator Bernie Sanders' proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Her demeanor during the vote drew comparisons to John McCain and Marie Antoinette.

October 2021: Veterans resigned from Sinema's advisory council

In October 2021, five veterans who were selected by Kyrsten Sinema for her advisory council resigned. They accused her of prioritizing donors over constituents and criticized her opposition to key Democratic Party issues.

2021: Winery Contribution to Campaign

In 2021, Bill Price contributed $2,900 to Kyrsten Sinema's campaign. The campaign also reported "meeting expenses" with Three Sticks Winery.

January 2022: Voting against changing the Senate filibuster rule

In January 2022, Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin voted against changing the Senate filibuster rule, preventing certain voting rights bills from advancing. The Arizona Democratic Party executive committee later censured Sinema for this vote.

January 22, 2022: Censured by the Arizona Democratic Party

On January 22, 2022, the Arizona Democratic Party executive board voted to censure Kyrsten Sinema for voting with Senate Republicans to maintain the filibuster, which prevented the passage of a voting rights bill.

February 24, 2022: Met with critics regarding the filibuster

On February 24, 2022, Kyrsten Sinema's office met with critics, including the Arizona Youth Climate Coalition and the Tucson Climate Coalition, regarding her stance on the filibuster after a pressure campaign and open letter signed by Arizona legislators and constituents.

June 2022: Response to Roe v. Wade being overturned

After Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, Kyrsten Sinema stated that the decision "endangers the health and well-being of women in Arizona and across America."

July 2022: Voted with Biden's position

According to FiveThirtyEight, as of July 2022, Kyrsten Sinema had voted with President Biden's position on legislative issues 94% of the time.

December 2022: Left the Democratic Party

In December 2022, Kyrsten Sinema announced that she had left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent, while continuing to caucus with the Democratic Party for committee assignments.

December 2022: Changed party registration to independent

In December 2022, Kyrsten Sinema changed her party registration to independent.

December 2022: Lead cosponsor and negotiator on the Respect for Marriage Act

In December 2022, Kyrsten Sinema was a lead cosponsor and negotiator on the Respect for Marriage Act, which passed the Senate with a vote of 61–36.

December 2022: Sinema Becomes an Independent

In December 2022, Kyrsten Sinema, formerly a member of the Democratic Party, declared herself as an independent.

2022: Attended Bilderberg Conference

In 2022, Kyrsten Sinema was the only U.S. elected official to attend the Bilderberg Conference, an annual private gathering of European and North American political and business leaders.

March 5, 2024: Sinema Announces No Reelection Bid

On March 5, 2024, Kyrsten Sinema announced that she would not seek reelection and would be succeeded by Democrat Ruben Gallego.

December 2024: Voting to Block Lauren McFerran's Renomination

In December 2024, Kyrsten Sinema, along with Joe Manchin and Republican senators, voted to block Lauren McFerran's renomination to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This action effectively blocked Democratic control of the NLRB until at least 2026.

January 2025: Joins Coinbase's Global Advisory Council

In January 2025, Kyrsten Sinema joined Coinbase's Global Advisory Council to advocate for the cryptocurrency industry and help it coordinate with US lawmakers.

March 2025: Joins Hogan Lovells

In March 2025, Kyrsten Sinema joined the law and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells as a senior advisor.

October 2025: Lobbying for AI Data Center

In October 2025, Kyrsten Sinema made a failed attempt to lobby the city council of a Phoenix suburb to allow the development of an AI data center, and revealed her alignment with the Trump Administration in developing AI infrastructure. Earlier in the year she founded and became the co-chair of the AI Infrastructure Coalition.

2025: End of Senate Term

In 2025, Kyrsten Sinema's term as a United States Senator from Arizona came to an end.

January 2026: Public knowledge of alienation of affection lawsuit

In January 2026, an alienation of affection lawsuit filed against Kyrsten Sinema for pursuing a relationship with her married bodyguard became broader public knowledge when the case was moved to federal court.