Kyrsten Sinema reminds Democrats why they dont like her on her way out of Senate
Out Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) along with fellow centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) are facing condemnation from the left for a parting shot they took at Democrats as they both leave the Senate.Sinema and Manchin voted against President Joe Bidens re-nomination of Lauren McFerran to the board of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency that protects employees rights in the workplace. Their no votes sunk the nomination since all Republicans in the Senate also voted no. Only one of them was needed to vote with Democrats in order for McFerrans nomination to succeed. Related Former Democrat Kyrsten Sinema raised $200K from Republican megadonors She even got Clarence Thomass friend Harlan Crow to max out to her campaign. Shes saying she can win next year. If McFerrans nomination had succeeded, she would have been on the NLRB board until 2026, maintaining Democratic control of the NLRB for two more years. Now Donald Trump will be able to pick McFerrans replacement and shift the balance of the board earlier than he otherwise would have been able to. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The NLRB has a lot of power in settling disputes between labor unions and corporations, and NPR notes that it has become more assertive in supporting unions during the Biden administration. The NLRB has come under attack from corporations like Elon Musks SpaceX and Jeff Bezos Amazon, who sued arguing that the NLRB is itself unconstitutional after it ruled against them and in favor of their workers.It is deeply disappointing,a direct attack on working people,and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee with a proven track record of protecting worker rights did not have the votes, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema just voted against Bidens #NLRB nominee, blocking Democrats from securing control of the labor board through 2026, wrote Democratic activist Alex Guiden on X. Their betrayal hands Trump control of the NLRB at the expense of working people. They should be ashamed. Politico reports that Sinema hasnt voted on anything in the Senate since Thanksgiving, which has cost Democrats the chance to clear some of their most highly contested judicial picks and other nominations. They also report that Sinema isnt talking about why shes avoiding these votes.With Sinema leaving the Senate in January and former Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) stepping down this past weekend, there will only be one out LGBTQ+ person in the upper chamber: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). Sinema has been a controversial figure in the Senate, often frustrating Democratic priorities.She left the Democratic party in late 2022, after earning enmity from other Arizona Democrats for not helping others get reelected that year.She decided not to seek reelection this year, not saying whether her decision had anything to do with her massive unpopularity in Arizona. A Rasmussen poll from late Februaryfound that only 21% of likely voters in Arizona would vote for Sinema in a three-way race against a Democratic and a Republican candidate this year.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.