Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has a risky reelection strategy. But what if it could save democracy?

Kyrsten Sinema is drawing attention to herself again. Maybe this time, it’ll be good for American democracy?

Sinema, the senior U.S. senator from Arizona, has ruffled feathers with her jewelry, her outfits and her hair.

She’s caused trouble with her stance on the filibuster and voting rights, plus her switch from liberal to independent politics.

And she’s stressed pundits with a delayed decision on whether she’ll run for Senate next year.

Now, according to NBC News, she’s answering that last question by “chart(ing) out a path to victory as an independent candidate in Arizona, with a … unique cross-party coalition she would seek to build in the competitive state.”

We need candidates who play to the center

If Kyrsten Sinema is playing games aimed at drawing attention to Kyrsten Sinema, then it’s working.

It always works. She’s good at that.

But this time, it might be good for the nation.

Greatest sign yet: That Sinema will run for Senate in 2024

Extremism in any form is a problem.

In politics, it’s led to a do-nothing Congress that flirts with government shutdown seemingly every year and an activist Supreme Court that appears to draw conservative conclusions first, then seek out facts later.

We need people brave enough to woo voters at the center.

Sinema wants at least a quarter of the GOP

The risk for voters is that Sinema could just be a Republican-in-independent clothing, and a document uncovered by NBC News reveals plans for her to go after “25% to 35% of Republicans” in the state.

If this sounds crazy, consider that Kari Lake and Blake Masters have already turned off a slew of conservatives and lost recent statewide elections.

The risk for Sinema is that people vote their passions, and a centrist stance is an appeal to reason and logic. Sinema’s strategy predicts a three-way race, in which independents typically play spoiler roles to major-party candidates.

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“If the parties nominate extremists, as expected,” according to Sinema’s document, “Kyrsten will win a majority of (independents), and at least a third of (Republicans) and a percentage of (Democratic) voters — making her the first Independent to win a three-way statewide race in American history.”

It's risky, but is that what Arizona needs?

It’s a risky strategy that, at a minimum, has drawn attention to Sinema, keeping her name out there without the benefit of a primary.

But it could signal a desire for swing-state voters to come away from the political fringes and toward the center — especially if she wins.

Maybe what’s good for Sinema could be good for the nation?

Maybe.

Maybe she’s taking a risk that’s worth taking.

Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kyrsten Sinema is counting on Republicans to win. That's risky