While the Democrats were still in the midst of celebrating their Georgia Senate victory which handed them the majority, a member of their own party delivered them a serious gut punch.

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced she has had enough of the Democratic party, opting to become an independent instead.

Sinema, who recently sat for an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper to break the news, announced that in doing so she will be able to break free from the group think that dominates D.C.

The Senator celebrated her newfound ability to “be able to show up to work every day as an independent and not be stuck into one party’s demands of following without thinking.”

Sinema said, “I’ve registered as an Arizona independent. And I know some people might be a little bit surprised by this, but, actually, I think it makes a lot of sense. A growing number of Arizonans and people like me just don’t feel like we fit neatly into one party’s box or the other. And so, like many across the state and the nation, I’ve decided to leave that partisan process and really just focus on the work that I think matters to Arizona and to our country, which is solving problems and getting things done.”

She added that partisanship in Washington has made it so that “both parties have created this kind of requirement or a pull towards the edges that you just unthinkingly support all of one party’s viewpoints. It’s made it difficult to find folks who are willing to work together and solve problems.”

Sinema continued, “Now, as you know, Jake, we’ve been able to do a lot of bipartisan work over the last couple of years. And I’m incredibly proud of that and I think it’s important for folks across my state, and frankly, across the country, to say, yep, there’s someone that’s kind of like me, doesn’t fit neatly into one box or the other, but is standing up for their values, for what they believe in and is doing it without trying to get one over on the other party or beat the other guy.”

The Senator did not state that she will continue to vote with the Democratic party like Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, which could create a very interesting situation in the Senate with moderate Democrat Joe Manchin having more sway than his party would like.

As it stands now, with Sinema’s defection, Republicans have 49 members and Democrats have 50. While Sinema and 2 other Independents vote more with Democrats than they do with Republicans it erodes Democrats majority and once again forces them to rely on convincing the 3 Independents to vote with them.

Sinema went more in depth into her decision ion an op-ed at AZCentral.com

She stated in part:

“Everyday Americans are increasingly left behind by national parties’ rigid partisanship, which has hardened in recent years. Pressures in both parties pull leaders to the edges, allowing the loudest, most extreme voices to determine their respective parties’ priorities and expecting the rest of us to fall in line.

In catering to the fringes, neither party has demonstrated much tolerance for diversity of thought. Bipartisan compromise is seen as a rarely acceptable last resort, rather than the best way to achieve lasting progress. Payback against the opposition party has replaced thoughtful legislating.

Americans are told that we have only two choices – Democrat or Republican – and that we must subscribe wholesale to policy views the parties hold, views that have been pulled further and further toward the extremes.”

The Senator’s announcement comes as part of a growing trend where Democrats are turning their backs on their former party – pointing out the radicalization of it has gone too far.