Senator Kyrsten Sinema is someone the Democrats don’t necessarily want to keep around, but someone they can’t afford to offend right now, either. Hilariously, she seems to feel the same way about them.

Senate Democrats are not exactly in a good spot right now. John Fetterman is unable to serve, and Dianne Feinstein is also in the same position. This has put the Democrats in the position of essentially stopping all business (especially the confirmation of judges) because they don’t have enough votes to get anything but the most uncomplicated and bipartisan measures passed. Which means that Democrats, even with a majority, can’t afford to lose Kyrsten Sinema. So when the report breaks that she’s not exactly enamored of her Senate colleagues breaks in POLITICO, there’s really not much that Senate Democrats can do or say about it.

“Those lunches were ridiculous,” she told a small group of Republican lobbyists at a reception in Washington this year in explaining why she had stopped attending her caucus’ weekly luncheons in the Capitol, according to an attendee.”

First off, she explained, she was no longer a Democrat. “I’m not caucusing with the Democrats, I’m formally aligned with the Democrats for committee purposes,” Sinema said. “But apart from that I am not a part of the caucus.”

Then she let loose.”

“Old dudes are eating Jell-O, everyone is talking about how great they are,” Sinema recounted to gales of laughter. “I don’t really need to be there for that. That’s an hour and a half twice a week that I can get back.”

Now she was rolling.”

“The Northerners and the Westerners put cool whip on their Jell-O,” she shared, “and the Southerners put cottage cheese.”

Cue the groans.”

Turning more serious, but continuing to dismiss her colleagues, Sinema boasted that she had better uses of her time than “those dumb lunches,” which the windiest lawmakers can drag out but are also used to discuss substance and strategy.”

“I spend my days doing productive work, which is why I’ve been able to lead every bipartisan vote that’s happened the last two years,” she said.

And Sinema had something to say about former White House chief of staff Ron Klain.

After thrilling the Republican lobbyists by saying that the country’s declining faith in courts is “the Senate’s fault” for eliminating the judicial filibuster (read: Harry Reid, not Mitch McConnell, started this), Sinema recounted how she was able to get a federal judge from Arizona easily confirmed in the divided Senate.”

A White House aide telephoned Sinema last summer, she said, and told her she’d have to make sure all 50 Senate Democrats at the time were present for the vote to confirm Roopali Desai to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.”

Sinema said she told the aide there was no need to fret because the vote would be bipartisan.”

Then she revealed who the aide was, saying “that was Klain,” as she quickly flashed her middle finger in the air to demonstrate what she thinks of the powerful and now-departed White House chief of staff.”

After the laughter died down, Sinema boasted that Judge Desai picked up 67 votes in a swift confirmation and then got in one final dig at the White House. “I did not call Ron back,” she said.”

I’m sure Klain cried more over loving Joe Biden than he did over Sinema flipping him off behind his back. Regardless, the comments may “thrill” Republicans, but that doesn’t mean that Sinema can, will, or should caucus with Republicans. She’s pretty clear that she’s with the Democrats in order to have rank on committees. We have been over this time and again – Sinema might be a “maverick,” but she is no Republican, and I don’t care what Mitt Romney thinks.

At least one prominent Senate Republican is hoping McConnell attempts a negotiated peace with Sinema.”

“If he hasn’t he should,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who has worked closely with Sinema, told me. Romney jokingly said that McConnell should even offer her the gavel of the influential Senate Finance Committee to sweeten the deal.”

Just as notable, Romney said he hopes Sinema is reelected regardless and was open to stumping for her in Arizona, which has a significant population of Mormon voters.”

“I’m not saying no, I could very easily endorse Sen. Sinema,” he said, calling her “one of the senators that is able to pull people together and actually get legislation passed.”

Dear Utah, please primary Milquetoast Mitt as soon as possible, thanks. It’s no accident that POLITICO calls Romney a “prominent Senate Republican” for the purposes of this article. Some Republicans might like the idea of convincing Sinema to join their caucus, but the grass would be no greener on the other side of the aisle for her. Plus I’m sure that the Jello is still available at the Republican caucus meetings, too. There is simply no advantage to Sinema to change caucuses. She might not be able to stand the Democrats, but she’s stuck with them in order to wield committee rank.

Now, 2024 is going to be a politically perilous year for Kyrsten Sinema. She already has one challenger from the left in Democrat Ruben Gallego – kind of ironic for a former Code Pink member to face a challenge from her left, hmmm? – and there could be more. However, the Arizona Republicans are kind of a mess at the moment, and no one seems to have any idea what Kari Lake might do. Arizona has definitely become more purple, and Republicans are really going to need to pull themselves together in order to mount a challenge in a potential three way race, with Sinema as the wild card and potentially drawing votes from both sides. And no one seems to know just yet if Sinema will run again. Conventional wisdom says she will, but since when has Sinema followed conventional wisdom? Say what you will about her, but Kyrsten Sinema has become that rare politician who refuses to toe the party line, and it leads her to make some strange bedfellows on certain issues.

It is crucial that Republicans not make the mistakes that they did in 2022, and recruit better candidates that can win statewide elections. That doesn’t mean recruiting Sinema to run as a Republican – it means finding a Republican that appeals to a majority of Arizonans. Sinema has yet to announce her decision regarding 2024. Regardless of what she decides to do, Republicans should not be relying on her, or Joe Manchin, to keep saving their proverbial bacon. She might be mocking Democrats, and calling herself an independent, but she’s still happy to use their apparatus to access the levers of power. Just because Senate Democrats can’t risk offending her, doesn’t mean that Senate Republicans should be welcoming her with open arms.

Featured image: Kyrsten Sinema (official 2018 photo), modified, public domain