‘We Are Best Friends’: Romney and McConnell Absolutely Fawn Over Kyrsten Sinema in Glowing Tributes to Retiring Senator

AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana.

Outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) received effusive praise Wednesday from two of her Republican colleagues — a development that is perhaps not so surprising considering Sinema’s role in blocking Democratic efforts to change or abolish the filibuster.

Sinema was first elected to the Senate as a Democrat in 2018 after several terms in the Arizona legislature and three terms in the U.S. House. She changed her registration to independent in 2022, although she did continue to caucus with Senate Democrats. In March, Sinema announced she was not going to run for re-election. Her seat will be taken by Democrat Ruben Gallego, who defeated Republican Kari Lake in November.

Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) were frequently thorns in the side of the Democratic caucus, helping defeat bills in close votes and blocking changes to the filibuster. This month, she returned to D.C. after weeks of missed votes to give a thumbs down to a Democratic nominee to the National Labor Relations Board, allowing President-elect Donald Trump to fill the vacancy after he’s sworn into office in January and ensuring that there will be a GOP majority on the board.

Unsurprisingly, Senate Democrats were incensed at Sinema (and Manchin) for voting against the nominee.

Two Senate Republicans, however, had a much warmer attitude towards the Arizonan.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who also declined to run for re-election, spoke to Semafor congressional bureau chief Burgess Everett about Sinema. In 2021, the two senators posted photos of themselves dressed up as characters from the Ted Lasso television series.

“I don’t think I’ve had a better friend in the United States Senate than Kyrsten Sinema,” said Romney. “We are best friends.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered a Senate floor speech with his own fawning praise for Sinema.

In his remarks, McConnell acknowledged it was “perhaps unusual” for an outgoing party leader to offer a retirement tribute for a member of the other party, but Sinema “has never had trouble with bucking a trend.”

McConnell praised her for being someone who had “thrown herself into worthwhile projects, done the heavy lifting of legislation, and kept at it when longer-tenured colleagues might have thrown in the towel,” and who had a “maverick streak” that “extends to her efforts to broaden the Senate’s fashion horizons, too.”

The Kentucky Republican then highlighted Sinema’s influential role in protecting the filibuster, thanking her for “her willingness to defend the Senate, itself” as she “stood up in the face of a grave threat to this institution’s defining characteristic and said ‘no.'”

McConnell’s full remarks, via a transcript from his Senate office:

I’d like to close with just a few words about another of our departing colleagues, the senior Senator from Arizona.

It’s perhaps unconventional for the leader of one party to pay formal tribute to a departing Senator who’s caucused with the other side.

But then, Kyrsten Sinema has never had trouble with bucking a trend.

For one thing, she’s spent her six years in this body earning levels of influence, respect, and command of policy that are uncommon among Senate freshmen.

She’s thrown herself into worthwhile projects, done the heavy lifting of legislation, and kept at it when longer-tenured colleagues might have thrown in the towel.

Needless to say, Senator Sinema’s maverick streak extends to her efforts to broaden the Senate’s fashion horizons, too.

But the cornerstone of our colleague’s legacy in this chamber will be her willingness to defend the Senate, itself, when saying nothing would have been a great deal easier.

Arizona’s senior Senator stood up in the face of a grave threat to this institution’s defining characteristic and said ‘no’. And in doing so, she sent a message that will resonate long after her departure from the chamber.

I admire our colleague for the courage, wisdom, and clarity that have guided her service to the people of Arizona and to the entire nation.

And I wish her the very best in her next chapter.

Watch the video above via YouTube.