How Trump Accidentally Helped Democrat Kyrsten Sinema Flip Jeff Flake's Arizona Senate Seat
Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema has officially captured a Republican-held Senate seat in Arizona. Sinema, who at 41 is one of the youngest women ever elected to the Senate, also happens to be the first Arizona Democrat elected to the Senate in over 30 years. The results, which took almost a full week to tabulate, will come as a disappointment to the president, who bragged the day after the election when Republican Martha McSally was still leading that he personally “retired” Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.
“In Jeff Flake’s case it’s me, pure and simple. I retired him. I’m very proud of it, I did the country a great service,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House a day after the midterm elections. “He is retired. I’d like to call it another word, but we’re going to treat him with great respect.”
Democrats are likely thrilled with whatever help the president believes he offered. Not only did they figure out the path to victory in Arizona two years before a special election set to fill a second Senate seat, Democrats defended the Congressional seat Sinema vacated and flipped the one McSally gave up, too. And they did it by winning the hearts and minds of a large share of registered Republicans.
McSally and outside groups supporting her bid tried to paint Sinema as too extreme for Arizona, pointing to the former Green Party candidate’s protest of the Iraq war — in a pink tutu, no less — and her remark, to a radio host in 2003, that she wouldn’t care if he joined the Taliban. The gambit failed, hard: Sinema peeled off 12 percent of Arizona’s Republican voters — the highest share of any Democratic Senator, save West Virginia’s Joe Manchin.
Sinema seems well aware of the fact. In her victory speech, she paid tribute to the late Republican senator (and Trump critic) John McCain. “Senator McCain is irreplaceable, but his example will guide our next steps,” Sinema told supporters Monday evening. “He taught us to assume the best in others, to seek compromise instead of sewing division, and to always put country ahead of party. As your Senator, that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/sinema-jeff-flake-seat-arizona-754785/
= new reply since forum marked as read
two years before a special election set to fill a second Senate seat, Democrats defended the Congressional seat Sinema vacated and flipped the one McSally gave up, too. And they did it by winning the hearts and minds of a large share of registered Republicans"
I'm so proud of Arizona Democrats!
And, thanks trump for being such an asshole vindictive blowhard. You lost in Montana, too.. where you went 4 times spewing hate against Senator Jon Tester. Did NOT Work then, either.
Mahalo, Yo!
Glad to be of service
From a begrudgingly Arizonan Democrat (who's really a Californian 
)
I use to live in Phoenix and Tucson back in the day for about 5 years.. and San Diego, California 15 years.. I love both states.
I miss them for lots of various reasons.
