Senator Kyrsten Sinema leaves the Democratic Party and registers as an independent

(CNN) --

Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema is leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent, she told CNN's Jake Tapper in an exclusive interview.

"I registered as an independent in Arizona. I know some people might be a bit surprised by this, but really, I think it makes a lot of sense," Sinema said in an interview Thursday with Tapper in her Senate office.

"I've never fitted in perfectly in any game. I've never tried. I don't want to," he added.

"Standing away from the partisan structure is not only true to who I am and how I act, but I think it will also provide a place of belonging for many people across the state and across the country who are also tired of partisanship."

Sinema's departure from the Democratic Party is unlikely to change the balance of power in the next Senate.

Democrats will have a narrow 51-49 majority, which includes two independents who usually legislate with them: Vermont's Bernie Sanders and Maine's Angus King.

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As Sanders and King formally join the Democrats, Sinema declined to explicitly say if she would do the same.

However, he noted that he expects to keep his committee assignments, a sign that he does not plan to alter the makeup of the Senate, as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer controls the committee slates for Democrats.

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"When I come to work every day, it will be the same," Sinema said.

"I will continue to come to work and hopefully serve on the same commissions that I have been serving on and continue to work well with my colleagues from both political parties."

But Sinema's decision to become a political independent makes official what has long represented an independent streak for the Arizona senator, who began her political career as a member of the Green Party before being elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives. for the United States in 2012 and for the United States Senate in 2018. Sinema has prided herself on being a nuisance to Democratic leaders, and her new nonpartisan affiliation will further free her to embrace upstream status in the Senate, though she raises new questions about how she — and House Democrats — will approach her 2024 re-election with liberals already mulling a challenge.

Sinema wrote an Op-Ed in the

published Friday explaining her decision, noting that her approach in the Senate has "upset supporters of both parties."

"When politicians focus more on denying victory to the opposition party than on improving the lives of Americans, it is ordinary Americans who lose," Sinema wrote.

"That is why I have joined the growing number of people in Arizona rejecting partisan politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington."

Sinema is running for re-election in 2024, and liberals in Arizona are already thinking about potential challengers, including Arizona Rep. Rubén Gallego, who said earlier this year that some Democratic senators have urged him to run against Sinema.

"Unfortunately, Senator Sinema is once again putting her own interests ahead of doing things for Arizonans," Gallego said in a statement following Sinema's announcement.

Sinema declined to answer questions about her re-election bid in the interview with Tapper, saying it's simply not her goal right now.

He also ignored the criticism he may receive for his decision to leave the Democratic Party.

"I'm not worried that people won't like this approach," Sinema said.

"My concern is continuing to do the right thing for my state. And there are people who certainly don't like my approach, we hear a lot about it. But before you judge, try it."

Many Democrats shrug off news of Sinema's announcement

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described Sinema as a "key partner" following her decision, saying the White House has "every reason to hope that we will continue to work successfully with her."

Sources familiar with the matter tell CNN that Sinema advised the White House that she was leaving the Democratic Party.

Schumer said in a statement that he, too, was aware of Sinema's bombshell announcement before Friday morning.

"She asked me to keep her commission assignments and I agreed," Schumer said.

"Kyrsten is an independent; that's the way she's always been. I think she's a good and effective senator and I can't wait to have a productive session in the newly-majority Democratic Senate."

Schumer also outlined that he did not expect Sinema's decision to affect Democrats' plans for next year, saying in his statement: "We will maintain our new majority in committees, exercise our subpoena power, and be able to approve nominees without votes. of discharge".

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Biden's White House offered a less than effusive reaction to the news on Friday, insisting that they hope to continue to maintain a productive working relationship with the senator.

A White House official told CNN the measure "doesn't change much" other than Sinema's own re-election calculations.

"We have worked effectively with her on many important pieces of legislation, from CHIPS to the bipartisan infrastructure bill," the official said.

The White House, for now, has "every reason to expect that to continue," he added.

Sinema has long been the source of a complex convergence of possibility, frustration, and confusion within the White House.

"A Rubik's cube, I guess..." was how a former senior White House official described the Arizona senator, who has played a central role in President Joe Biden's biggest legislative victories as well as some of his major disappointments in terms of agenda.

There was no great pressure on Sinema to change her mind, a White House official said, noting that would not have changed anything.

"Nothing that has happened in the past two years indicates that a lot of effort would have helped; in fact, quite the opposite," a White House official said.

The most urgent near-term effort was to find out what it meant for his newly expanded Senate majority, officials said.

Although there were still clear details to learn about the process, "I think people caught their breath when we had a better understanding of what he meant," said a source familiar with the discussion.

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota told "CNN This Morning" that "Sen. Sinema has always had an independent streak," adding that "I don't think this is going to shake things up like everyone thinks."

And he added: "Senator Sinema has been independent for all purposes."

"It's okay if some people aren't comfortable with that approach"

Sinema and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin have angered liberals at various times in the past two years, getting in the way of Biden's agenda at a time when Democrats controlled the House, Senate and White House.

Sinema and Manchin used their influence in the current 50-50 Senate — where a single Democrat could derail a bill — to influence a host of laws, most notably the huge $3 Build Back Better bill, 5 trillion, which Biden proposed last year.

Sinema's objections to raising corporate tax rates during the initial round of negotiations on the legislation last year particularly irritated the Liberals.

Although Sinema was caught off guard by Manchin's deal with Schumer in July on major energy and health legislation, she ultimately supported the smaller spending package Biden signed into law before the election.

Both Manchin and Sinema also opposed changing the Senate's filibuster rules, despite pressure from their colleagues and from Biden to change them.

After voting against the filibuster changes in January, the executive committee of the Arizona Democratic Party censured Sinema.

Sinema has been in the midst of several major bipartisan bills passed since Biden took office, and she pointed to that track record as proof that her approach has been effective.

"I've been honored to lead historic efforts, from infrastructure to gun violence prevention, to protecting religious freedom and helping LGBTQ families feel safe, the CHIP bill and science or the work we've done on veterans issues," he told CNN.

"The list is really long. I think the results speak for themselves. It's okay if some people aren't comfortable with that approach."

Sinema's announcement comes just days after Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock won reelection in Georgia, securing Democrats the 51st Senate seat that frees them from relying on Vice President Kamala Harris' runoff vote.

Sinema declined to answer questions about whether she would endorse Biden for president in 2024, also saying she is not thinking about whether a strong third party should emerge in the US.

United States Senate