U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) announced on Tuesday that she will not run for re-election, thereby setting up a two-way race for the seat between U.S.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Republican former television news anchor Kari Lake, who is a close ally of former President Donald Trump.
The first bisexual woman to serve in the U.S. Senate — and the second LGBTQ woman, after U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) — Sinema was instrumental in shoring up support in the chamber for passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, which protects the rights of married same-sex and interracial couples.
Sinema mentioned the legislative achievement in a video posted on X announcing her plans to leave the Senate. Registering as an Independent in December 2022 after years of serving in the U.S.