Sinema, who left the Democratic Social gathering in December 2022, has not determined if she’s going to search reelection this yr. With almost $11 million in her marketing campaign account, she stays the largest unknown on the Senate map. If she does enter the race, it could create an unpredictable three-way matchup.
“Kyrsten stays laser targeted on persevering with her work making a significant influence within the lives of Arizonans throughout the state – not on marketing campaign politics,” a spokesperson for her marketing campaign stated in a press release. “She has the assets to maintain delivering lasting outcomes for Arizona.”
The primary-term senator has been targeted on negotiating a border deal throughout current months, retaining her focus and time in Washington. However Sinema’s fundraising steadily declined all yr.
Her high-water mark got here within the first three months of 2023 when she posted $2.1 million. That fell 22 % within the second quarter. Then her third-quarter quantity was solely 50 % of her second-quarter haul. And the brand new submitting exhibits a 30 % drop from her third-quarter to fourth-quarter totals.
Sinema’s battle to fundraise wasn’t for lack of attempting, her expenditures counsel. She spent greater than $141,000 on digital promoting, which is often used to draw donors. The marketing campaign additionally spent greater than $124,000 on fundraising consulting and occasion and journey prices related to fundraising, the submitting confirmed.
Safety-related bills have been her different main spending class within the fourth quarter, together with a $100,000 retainer with Kinsaker Safety Group, LLC, and $77,000 spent on a safety car.
However the Arizona senator’s marketing campaign notably spent little or no on payroll, with simply over $7,700 paid in whole to 4 staffers. That implies Sinema has not began to workers up like a serious Senate marketing campaign would doubtless must in an election yr.
The submitting deadline in Arizona is April 8, and Sinema would face an onerous requirement of some 40,000 signatures to safe a spot on the poll.