More Sinema backers defect over her Biden plan objections
PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema faced more defections Thursday from the broad base of support she built to win her seat in 2018 when five members of her veterans advisory council resigned over her opposition to parts of President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan and refusal to ditch the Senate filibuster.
The resignations come as progressive groups are ratcheting up their pressure on the first-term moderate, who along with West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is seen as holding back progress as Biden sharply scales back his once-$3.5 trillion plan to win their support.
Democrats need their support to push the legislation through the 50-50 Senate. That would let Vice President Kamala Harris supply the tie-breaking vote.
The veterans are also upset with Sinema for refusing to back changes to the filibuster, saying that is preventing action on voting rights, immigration and other key Democratic priorities, according to a scathing letter they released publicly Thursday. And they pointed to her reported opposition to allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices to be included in Biden's infrastructure package, saying that goes against a key campaign promise she made to rein in drug prices.
“These are not the actions of a maverick,” the five veterans wrote. “We should have realized this once you showed your true character when refusing to vote to establish a commission to investigate the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol.”
Veterans were a key constituency that Sinema wooed during her 2018 campaign to replace Sen. Jeff Flake, who declined to seek another term after his criticism of then-President Donald Trump made it impossible for him to survive a Republican primary. Sinema defeated then-Rep. Martha McSally — the first Democrat to win a Arizona Senate seat...