Apart from being a "you still need to pay attention to me even thought it's not 50-50!" howl, Sinema's dumb move doesn't really change anything for now.
2024 is more complicated. Does she intend to run as an independent? Does she hope to force Ds not to run someone against her while avoiding a primary challenge? Does she not plan to run at all and thinks this raises her nuisance cred for a media job?
She herself may not know, yet.
@RationalLeft oh she definitely did this to get re-elected in AZ. No way she wins the dem primary against a cardboard cut out.
@Irmaplotz If she runs third party, she loses and throws the race (probably) to an R. If Ds stand down and let her run unchallenged, she probably loses anyway given how little D support she'd inspire (though a really awful R nominee could change that calculus).
She may have a plan, or she may not have gotten that far right now.
@RationalLeft I'm less sure she loses as an independent. My experience with AZ #politics is a few years old, but the state is pretty stratified with really, really whacky Rs, really, really left Ds, and a large independent streak.
I think she wins. Pulls a lot of R votes for being McCain-like and Ds will hold their nose and vote for her.
If so, the polling will point that way and probably guide her decision.
I think she's almost certainly at least considering ways to monetize her exit with corporate or media jobs.
It'll be over a year until we find out, probably. For now, the move is more attention-seeking optics than something with concrete effects.