Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she’s ‘grateful’ for Sinema’s departure from Dems, as race opens up

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez welcomed Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema‘s departure from the Democratic Party, adding that her constituents deserved more.

The New York Democrat and liberal firebrand said Ms. Sinema‘s exit will open up the race and nomination when her reelection is up in 2024.

“Not once in this long soliloquy does Sinema offer a single concrete value or policy she believes in. She lays out no goals for Arizonans, no vision, no commitments,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter in response to Ms. Sinema‘s announcement to become an independent.

“It’s ‘no health care, just vibes’ for Senate. People deserve more. Grateful this race & nomination has opened up,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez added.

Ms. Sinema blamed ideological inflexibility when she made the bombshell announcement on Friday.

The Arizona lawmaker has often split from her party on key issues, including her resistance to getting rid of the filibuster, to the anger of her more liberal colleagues.

Advocacy groups were already vying for a competitive primary challenge against the senator in 2024, and Ms. Sinema has been met with angry activists in public settings over her decisions in the upper chamber.

Despite her departure, Ms. Sinema will keep her committee assignments, according to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer.

“Kyrsten is independent, that’s how she’s always been,” Mr. Schumer said.