Survey Finds Arizona Republicans Giving Sinema Higher Marks than Arizona Democrats

Arizona Republicans view Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) more favorably than do their Democratic counterparts, according to a new survey.

The number of Republicans who approve of Sinema’s performance exceeds Democrats by six points, 48-42 percent, according to the survey released on Monday by OH Predictive Insights (OHPI). Forty-five percent of Republicans and 47 percent of Democrats told pollsters they held an unfavorable view of the Democratic senator. Sinema’s rating among all voters averaged out to 42 percent favorable and 45 percent unfavorable.

Sinema, a freshman senator who won the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in 2018, has been a lightning rod among Democrats nationally for undermining President Joe Biden’s signature policy proposals this year. Along with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), she demanded that Democrats reduce the price of Biden’s top spending initiative from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion. The plan is still lingering in the Senate.

If the trend in public opinion continues, Sinema could have an easier time winning reelection in 2024 as a

Republican than as a Democrat. “Sen. Sinema’s growing unpopularity with voters from within her own party could prove fatal in 2024 when she will have to ask for Democrats’ support for re-nomination,” OHPI’s Mike Noble said in a statement.

The survey found Arizona’s junior senator, Sen. Mark Kelly (D), struggling to keep up. Forty-one percent of respondents said they held a favorable view of Kelly, while 48 percent said they held an unfavorable view. Ten percent of Republicans and 75 percent of Democrats comprised the group saying they held a favorable view.

Kelly won a special election in 2020 to fill the seat Sen. John McCain (R) until his 2018 death. He faces reelection in 2022.

The survey included 713 registered voters polled between Nov. 1-8. The margin of error was 3.7 percent.