Kyrsten Sinema facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kyrsten Sinema
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Sinema in 2020
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| United States Senator from Arizona |
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| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Jeff Flake |
| Succeeded by | Ruben Gallego |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 9th district |
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| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Greg Stanton |
| Member of the Arizona Senate from the 15th district |
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| In office January 10, 2011 – January 3, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Ken Cheuvront |
| Succeeded by | David Lujan |
| Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 15th district |
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| In office January 10, 2005 – January 10, 2011 Serving with David Lujan
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| Born | July 12, 1976 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
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Blake Dain
(m. 1995; div. 1999) |
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Kyrsten Lea Sinema (born July 12, 1976) is an American politician and lawyer. She served as a United States senator for Arizona from 2019 to 2025. She was a member of the Democratic Party before becoming an independent in December 2022.
Before becoming a senator, Sinema served in the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona Senate. She also served in the United States House of Representatives. She started her political journey with the Arizona Green Party. She became known for supporting causes like LGBTQ+ rights. She later joined the Arizona Democratic Party in 2004.
In 2018, Sinema won the election for the U.S. Senate. She became the first openly bisexual person and the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona. She was also the only senator who did not identify with a religion. During her time in the Senate, she was seen as a key swing vote. She decided not to run for reelection in 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Kyrsten Sinema was born in Tucson, Arizona, on July 12, 1976. Her parents divorced when she was young. Her mother and stepfather later moved the family to DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
Childhood Experiences
Sinema has shared that her family faced tough times. She said they lived in an old gas station for three years. During this time, they did not have a working toilet or electricity for two years. She remembered using a chalkboard as a wall to separate her bunk bed from the kitchen.
Higher Education
Sinema was a very bright student. She graduated from Walton High School at age 16 as the top student. She then earned her bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University at age 18 in 1995. After college, she left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She returned to Arizona in 1995. While working as a social worker, she earned a master's degree in social work from Arizona State University in 1999. In 2004, she earned a law degree and became a criminal defense lawyer. She also earned a Ph.D. in justice studies in 2012 and an M.B.A. in 2018, both from Arizona State.
Political Career
In 2003, Sinema became a professor at Arizona State University. She taught classes on policy and grant writing. She also taught business law. She began her political career with the Arizona Green Party. In 2004, she joined the Arizona Democratic Party.
In 2000, Sinema worked on Ralph Nader's presidential campaign. She ran for local offices as an independent in 2001 and 2002 but did not win.
Arizona State Legislature
In 2002, Sinema first ran for the Arizona House of Representatives. She ran as an independent with the Green Party but did not win. In 2004, she joined the Democratic Party. That year, she won a seat in the Arizona House for the 15th district. She was reelected three times.
From 2009 to 2010, Sinema was an assistant Minority Leader for the Democrats in the Arizona House. In 2010, she was elected to the Arizona Senate.
Key Actions in Arizona Legislature
In 2005, Sinema spoke out against comments that insulted LGBT people. She said, "We're simply people like everyone else who want and deserve respect." She later confirmed she is bisexual.
In 2006, she supported a bill to help young immigrants get in-state tuition. She also helped lead campaigns against proposals that would have banned same-sex marriage in Arizona. In 2008, a similar ban passed, despite her efforts.
In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Sinema to a task force on health care reform. This group helped create the Affordable Care Act. In 2010, Time magazine named her one of their "40 Under 40" leaders.
U.S. House of Representatives
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In 2011, Sinema considered running for the United States House of Representatives. In January 2012, she announced her bid for Congress in Arizona's 9th congressional district. She won the Democratic primary and then the general election in November 2012.
Her campaign was tough, with many attack ads. She was accused of being "anti-American." When her religious views were questioned, her campaign stated she believes in a government that is separate from religion. Sinema won by about 4 percentage points. She became the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Congress.
Reelections
Sinema was reelected to the House in 2014 and 2016. In 2014, she was endorsed by the United States Chamber of Commerce, which usually supports Republicans. She won with 55 percent of the vote. In 2016, she won with 61 percent of the vote.
Work in the House
After joining Congress, Sinema became more moderate in her political views. She joined groups like the Blue Dog Coalition and the Problem Solvers Caucus. These groups include Democrats who are more conservative or who work across party lines. She continued to support the DREAM Act, which helps young undocumented immigrants.
U.S. Senate
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On September 28, 2017, Sinema announced she would run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Jeff Flake, who was retiring. She won the Democratic primary in August 2018. Her opponent in the general election was Republican Martha McSally.
During the campaign, Sinema focused on issues like affordable health care and economic opportunities. She won the election on November 12, 2018. She was sworn in on January 3, 2019. She became the first woman to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate. She was also the first Democrat to hold that seat from Arizona since 1995.
Time in the Senate
When sworn in, Sinema chose to use copies of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Arizona instead of a Bible. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was known for wearing colorful wigs. Her team said this was to show the importance of social distancing, as she did not need to go to a hair salon.
Sinema voted to convict Donald Trump in both of his impeachment trials. She also urged her Senate colleagues to support a commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
In December 2022, Sinema announced she was leaving the Democratic Party. She registered as an independent. She continued to work with the Democratic Party for her committee assignments. On March 5, 2024, Sinema announced she would not seek reelection. Her term ended in January 2025.
After the Senate
In January 2025, Sinema joined Coinbase's Global Advisory Council. This group works to support the cryptocurrency industry. In March 2025, she joined the law and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells as a senior advisor.
Political Views
Sinema is often described as a centrist politician. This means her views are often in the middle, not strongly on one side. She is generally socially liberal but has moderate-to-conservative views on money matters. She has said that Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, is a role model for her.
In the House, she was known for working with both parties. In the Senate, her voting record has been described as centrist.
Capital Punishment
Early in her career, Sinema worked to end the death penalty. She believes that no civilized society should use it as a punishment. However, she also said that if the death penalty exists, it should be used fairly.
Economics and Taxes
Sinema has supported government spending to help the economy. She has also voted for some tax changes. For example, in 2015, she was one of a few Democrats to vote to repeal the estate tax. In 2018, she voted to make some tax cuts permanent.
In 2022, she played a role in shaping the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This law included changes to taxes and investments.
Labor Issues
In 2021, Sinema opposed including a $15/hour minimum wage in a COVID-19 relief bill. She voted against increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Environment
In 2019, Sinema was one of a few senators who voted against the Green New Deal. This plan aimed to address climate change and economic inequality. However, in 2022, she voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes billions of dollars for renewable energy and drought relief.
Immigration
Sinema has supported measures to improve border security. She also opposed Arizona SB 1070, a strict immigration law in Arizona. She believes that mass deportation of undocumented immigrants is not the answer. She has supported creating a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
Senate Filibuster
Sinema has stated that she is against getting rid of the Senate filibuster. The filibuster is a rule that requires 60 votes to pass most bills in the Senate. In January 2022, she voted against changing the filibuster rule, which prevented some voting rights bills from passing.
Personal Life
Kyrsten Sinema was married to Blake Dain, but they later divorced. She is openly bisexual. She has been described as not identifying with a religion.
Amateur Athlete
Sinema is an active runner and triathlete. She has completed many marathons. In 2019, she ran a marathon fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon. In 2020, she set a personal record for her marathon time.
In 2013, Sinema completed an Ironman Triathlon. This is a very long race that includes swimming, biking, and running. She was the first active member of Congress to complete an Ironman race. She also completed the 2015 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
Images for kids
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Kyrsten Sinema's signature
See also
In Spanish: Kyrsten Sinema para niños
