Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is a “corporate Democrat” after the latter announced a party switch.
Sinema announced Friday she would be leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. Sinema cited the “broken partisan system in Washington” and said that “neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought.”
“Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort.”
Sanders joined Dana Bash and said while he supports progressive candidates throughout the country, he’s not a fan of Sinema.
“I support progressive candidates all over this country, people who have the guts to take on powerful special interests. I don’t know what’s going to be happening in Arizona,” Sanders said.
“Does she have the guts to take on powerful special interests?” Bash asked.
“No, she doesn’t. She’s a corporate Democrat who has, along with Senator Manchin, sabotaged enormously important legislation.” (RELATED: Kyrsten Sinema Refuses To Say Whether She’d Endorse Biden 2024 Bid)
Sinema refused to support eliminating the filibuster in 2021. Abolishing the filibuster would allow legislation to be passed with a simple majority. Both Sinema and West Virginia Dem. Joe Manchin refused to abolish the mechanism, effectively ending Democratic efforts to overhaul election laws. The Senate once again rejected Democrats’ efforts to alter the filibuster in 2022, with Manchin and Sinema voting alongside Republicans.