ai express – Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s fundraising for her Arizona reelection campaign experienced a significant decline in the last quarter of 2023. This slowdown in fundraising activity raises concerns about her ability to meet the deadline for collecting the required number of signatures, which could pose a major challenge for her campaign.
According to a recently filed report with the Federal Election Commission, Sinema, who was a Democrat until 2022, raised only $595,000 in the last three months of 2023. This is the lowest amount she has raised since the last quarter of 2020 and less than half of what she raised each quarter of 2021. During that time, she played a significant role in reducing President Joe Biden’s legislative ambitions.
According to the report, it was also revealed that Sinema did not allocate any funds for signature-gathering up until the end of 2023. In order to secure a spot on the ballot as an independent candidate, she must collect 42,303 valid signatures by April 8, as stated by Arizona’s secretary of state office. Arizona Democrats believe that this task is becoming increasingly challenging with each passing day.
“I can’t understand why she hasn’t entered the race yet if she is planning to run,” expressed Jon Sutton, who served as the field director for the Arizona Democratic Party during Sinema’s Senate campaign in 2018. “By delaying her announcement, she’s only making things more challenging and costly for herself, spending money she can’t afford.”
There is an emerging consensus across both political parties that a normal politician would not seek re-election. However, it is widely recognized that Sinema, who has transformed from a Green Party candidate to a centrist with close ties to Wall Street, is anything but a typical politician.
If Sinema decides not to run, it would solve a significant political dilemma for Democrats as they approach the 2024 Senate elections. The party is divided between supporting Rep. Ruben Gallego, who has the strong backing of local Democrats, and Sinema, who officially left the party in December 2022 but still aligns with Democrats in the Senate and plays a crucial role in voting for judicial nominees and advancing party objectives.
If she qualifies for the ballot, Sinema will join a three-way race with Gallego and former newscaster Kari Lake, who is a Republican. Recent polls indicate a close competition between Gallego and Lake, while Sinema is currently trailing behind. It is crucial for Democrats to secure this seat to maintain control of the Senate following the 2024 elections.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) would be up against Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and former newscaster Kari Lake, a Republican, if she were to appear on the ballot.
During a conversation with reporters on Capitol Hill, Sinema reprimanded a journalist for focusing on her fundraising rather than inquiring about a border security agreement she has taken the lead in negotiating. This agreement, which may face obstacles if Republicans succumb to criticism from former President Donald Trump, has the potential to be a significant accomplishment for Sinema. It is worth noting that she has already played a role in bipartisan negotiations for infrastructure and gun control during her tenure in the Senate.
Sinema, who rarely engages with reporters on Capitol Hill, dismissed the question with a firm response. “Not talking about that at all,” she declared, emphasizing that it was a “total waste of a question.” Instead, she expressed her intention to focus on substantive matters and urged the reporters to redirect their inquiries accordingly.
Sinema’s campaign emphasized that her focus was not solely on her reelection bid. They highlighted the fact that there is still $10.5 million left in her campaign account.
According to a spokesperson, Kyrsten is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of Arizonans throughout the state, rather than getting caught up in campaign politics. They emphasized that she has the necessary resources to continue delivering lasting results for Arizona.
Sinema’s supporters highlighted her efforts in the immigration deal, which saw significant progress starting in November. As a result, fundraising took a backseat during the fourth quarter.
Sinema could potentially secure a place on the ballot through an alternative method. She has the option to leverage the ballot line of No Labels, a bipartisan organization exploring the possibility of fielding a third-party presidential candidate in the upcoming 2024 election. No Labels has already met the requirements to be listed on the Arizona ballot. However, it’s important to note that No Labels has expressed its intention to solely endorse presidential candidates, without supporting individuals running for other political offices.
Even though Sinema’s fundraising total for the past three months has been low, she still has a higher amount of cash on hand compared to her opponents. Gallego, for instance, has $6.5 million on hand after raising $3.2 million, as per FEC filings. On the other hand, Lake raised $2 million and currently has $1 million on hand.
According to Sutton, if Sinema were to launch her campaign today, she would need to allocate an estimated amount ranging from $500,000 to $1 million for ballot access. As the deadline of April 8 draws nearer, these expenses are expected to increase. Sinema may have to hire additional staff or even bring in trained personnel from other states, which would include the costs of accommodation in hotels. These escalating expenses could potentially become too costly to bear.
Sutton expressed that the costs can become overwhelming and burdensome over time, leading to a gradual decline. He explained that these costs have the potential to increase significantly, reaching a point where they become exponential.
