Progressive group seeking ‘next AOC’ to oust Sinema after filibuster protection
(The Center Square) – Saying “everyone just needs a little push sometimes,” a progressive organization is seeking primary opponents to Arizona U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, hoping to replace her with a more reliably partisan vote.
No Excuses PAC, founded by former supporters of New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is upset over the centrist Democrat’s disinterest in abolishing the filibuster.
“The Democrats won the House, Senate, and Presidency,” the No Excuses website reads. “And they did so by campaigning to go big – trillions in relief for the American people, and trillions more to ‘Build Back Better.’ But now, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia are both pledging to fight to keep the filibuster and join with Republicans to shrink their own party’s pandemic relief, climate, and economic investment plans. We think the people of Arizona and West Virginia care more about jobs in their communities and food on the table than arcane Senate rules.”
The PAC is seeking a primary opponent for the first-term Democrat, even though she isn’t up for reelection until 2024.
Sinema has voted across the aisle more than most Democrats since she took office in 2019. According to FiveThirtyEight, she voted in alignment with President Donald Trump’s position 25% of the time.
Sinema’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
In an email, No Excuses said it would ask its supporters to “help us find the next AOC to replace Manchin and Sinema.”
Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said he would agree to hash out the chamber’s organizing resolution after receiving the word of Sinema and Manchin that they would not vote to abolish the filibuster.
Should Democrats have gotten rid of the parliamentary maneuver, it would have made enacting much of President Joe Biden’s agenda easier, but McConnell warned of a “scorched earth” reaction from the minority party that would have resulted in legislative gridlock.
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