Arizona Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who's vying for the Democratic nomination for Senate, said she would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to be the majority leader. Schumer endorsed Simena early in the race in a attempt to clear the primary field for her.
"I am not going to vote for him," Sinema told Politico after she was asked about Schumer leading a potential Democratic majority in the Senate.
Sinema differs from most other Senate Democrats, who either support Schumer or have said they would vote for him to be the majority leader, the report stated.
Politico noted, "With no real opponent — Schumer privately backed her for the seat even before she’d announced, helping clear the field — Sinema can press her advantage."
Sinema also said she's focusing on her race rather than worrying about what the Republicans are doing.
“I don’t really think about what’s happening on the other side. That’s their campaign, their primary,” Sinema told Politico. “It’s not my problem.”
But national Republicans are preparing their strategy, Politico reported. One of those strategies may be to cast Sinema as "a liberal masquerading as a moderate.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), one of the more conservative Democrats in the Senate, is someone Sinema has called a role model. In turn, Manchin has praised Sinema for being a moderate.
But Manchin believes Sinema opposes Schumer because she is misreading him, according to the report.
"Basically, he gives his position, I give him my position, we go about our own votes and we go back and work on something different tomorrow. That’s the beauty of Chuck," Manchin said.
In addition to Schumer, Sinema has publicly opposed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
"The Democratic leadership has failed Democrats across the country," Sinema told Politico. "I am unafraid to say what I believe about what I think our party needs to do and I think our party needs to grow and change."
The Democratic primary for the Arizona Senate seat is Aug. 28.
Sinema faces Phoenix attorney and activist Deedra Abboud in the primary, but Abboud is generally not considered a serious competitor.
On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, former Arizona state Sen. Kelli Ward, and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio are also seeking the party's nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Jeff Flake.
