Kyrsten Sinema skips Obama Arizona rally, lays low during midterm campaign

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Former President Obama went to Phoenix on Wednesday as part of his national tour stumping for Democrats running in tight midterm election races. However, with control of Congress and the Arizona governor's mansion hanging in the balance, one of Arizona's top elected Democrats was notably absent at the rally.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was a no-show at Obama's event, where the former president pushed Democratic voters to show up at the ballot box and help her colleague, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., fend off a challenge from Republican Blake Masters. Obama also urged voters to reject GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake in favor of Democrat Katie Hobbs, who currently serves as Arizona's secretary of state. 

"If you’ve got election deniers serving as your governor, as your senator, as your secretary of state, as your attorney general, then democracy as we know it may not survive in Arizona," Obama said Wednesday. "That's not an exaggeration. That is a fact." 

Former President Obama speaks during a campaign event supporting U.S. Senator Mark Kelly and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate for Arizona Katie Hobbs, in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 2, 2022. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party told Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts that Sinema was invited to the event but had a "commitment" outside of Phoenix and could not attend. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to Sinema's office and asked why she missed the rally but did not receive a response before publication.

Sen. Mark Kelly and Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Arizona Katie Hobbs wave during a campaign event with former President Obama in Phoenix Nov. 2, 2022.  (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Sinema's absence was surprising, given that the Nov. 8 election is less than one week away and Fox News polls show both Kelly and Hobbs are headed toward a photo-finish on Tuesday. Then again, Sinema's support for her Democratic colleagues has been somewhat muted this election cycle.

While Sinema has repeatedly stated that she expects Kelly to win and sent multiple fundraising emails on his behalf, HuffPost reported last week that she's hosted only one fundraiser for him. Sinema donated $10,000 to the Kelly campaign, but she has not been featured in front of voters. 

Sinema has done even less for Hobbs, who got her start in politics as a volunteer for Sinema's state legislative races. Sinema had not publicly supported Hobbs' candidacy until last week, when she told HuffPost she voted early for Hobbs for governor. 

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Then-Democratic candidate Kyrsten Sinema speaks to supporters after officially winning the U.S. Senate race at the Omni Montelucia resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, Nov. 12, 2018.  (REUTERS/Caitlin O'Hara)

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Sinema's moderate positions and willingness to buck the rest of her party has vexed political observers and outraged progressives. 

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Sinema has been called a racist and a "bigot" for supporting the Senate filibuster. Her concerns over the Inflation Reduction Act prevented Democrats from advancing their social spending and taxation bill for months before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed to some of her demands. Some progressive groups have even vowed to support a primary challenger against Sinema if she runs for re-election at the end of her term.