Democratic representative Kyrsten Sinema speaks about the importance of rising above personal rivalries after beating Republican Martha McSally to take Arizona’s open US Senate seat. She said: ‘Arizona rejected what has become far too common in our country, name-calling, petty, personal attacks and doing and saying whatever it takes just to get elected. It’s dangerous and it lessens who we are as a country, but Arizona proved there is a better way forward.’ She also paid tribute to ‘irreplaceable’ senator John McCain, saying ‘his example shines a light on our way forward.’
The race between Sinema and McSally was one of the most closely watched in the nation. Sinema is a former liberal activist who became a centrist member of Congress. Her win follows years of Democratic shutouts at the statewide level in Arizona and shows that the longtime Republican bastion is becoming a swing state. Sinema succeeds Republican senator Jeff Flake, who opted not to run.
