Sen. Kyrsten Sinema could mimic her 'hero' John McCain and vote to kill the filibuster

In 2019, during her first speech to the U.S. Senate, newly elected Sen. Kyrsten Sinema invoked the name of the last Sen. John McCain again and again, calling him “my personal hero” and ending her comments with, “So, with Senator McCain’s example lighting the way, and with the trust of the people of Arizona shaping my service, I recommit to ignoring political games, and focusing on upholding Arizona values, to get things done for the state and for the country I love.”

I believe she meant it.

I believe McCain really is Sinema's hero.

And I think it’s admirable that she pledged to operate in the senate “with Senator McCain’s example lighting the way.”

Because if she believes all that.

Really believe it.

She would vote to end the filibuster rule in order to pass voting rights protections.

When McCain put country over 'rule'

How do we know?

Because McCain did something just like that.

In 2017, when Democrats in the Senate voted to use the filibuster to stall the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Republicans who controlled the Senate decided to consider changing the filibuster rule to allow for a simple majority to approve justices. When Democrats controlled the senate, they did as much to allow for votes approving lower court judges and presidential appointees.

McCain, like Sinema, was a believer in the filibuster, a Senate rule that requires a 60-vote majority to pass legislation and, at the time, to approve Supreme Court justices.

But Republicans in the Senate had a majority in 2017, and their leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell, wanted to change the Senate rules in order to clear the way for Gorsuch and, as it turned out, other staunchly conservative justices.

McCain said at the time that was a bad idea but, in the end, went along with it.

He said, “I find myself torn between protecting the traditions and practices of the Senate and the importance of having a full complement of justices on the Supreme Court. I’m left with no choice. I will vote to change the rules an allow Judge Gorsuch to be confirmed by a simple majority.”

Anything more vital than voting rights?

McCain was a believer in the filibuster rule, but he decided that putting Gorsuch on the court was more important.

Sinema is a believer in the filibuster rule.

She also is a supporter of the Freedom to Vote Act, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which she co-sponsored. They’ve been blocked in the Senate by filibuster.

McCain put his belief about what was best for the country ahead of that senate rule. He was, in Sinema’s words, “lighting the way” about how some things are more important than a rule.

And what is more imporant than voting rights?

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sinema could mimic 'hero' John McCain and vote to kill the filibuster