Kyrsten Sinema is an American politician, lawyer, former social worker, and academic who served as a United States Senator from Arizona from 2019 to 2025. Originally a member of the Democratic Party, she became an independent in December 2022 and caucused with Democrats alongside independents like Bernie Sanders, Angus King, and Joe Manchin. She represented the state of Arizona at large and did not seek reelection; her seat was won by Democrat Ruben Gallego in 2024. Notable achievements include being the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona, the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Congress, and the second openly LGBTQ woman in the Senate ; she was also the only religiously unaffiliated Senator during her tenure. Other accomplishments encompass completing an Ironman Triathlon in 2013 and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: B.A. from Brigham Young University ; M.S.W. from Arizona State University ; J.D. from Arizona State University ; Ph.D. in Justice Studies from Arizona State University ; M.B.A. from Arizona State University .
• Academic Roles: Adjunct instructor and later Distinguished Professor of Practice at Arizona State University's School of Social Work .
• Political Experience:
  • Arizona House of Representatives .
  • Arizona State Senate , elected in 2010.
  • U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona's 9th District .
  • U.S. Senate, Arizona , elected in 2018 by defeating Republican Martha McSally.
• Key positions: Advocated for the DREAM Act, opposed Arizona referenda banning same-sex marriage and civil unions, and co-sponsored the bipartisan LIBERT-E Act to limit NSA data collection.