>>> Tonight, Democrat turned
independent senator Kyrsten
Sinema of Arizona is bucking
president Biden yet again,
introducing a bill to counter
the expected surge of migrants
at the border when Biden lifts
title 42 next week.
That's the pandemic-era rule
that border officials used
nearly 3 million times to expel
migrants from the U.S.
Sinema is also calling out the
white house for its claims that
the border is secure.
>> Obviously, the border is not
secure.
Anyone with eyes can see that.
It would be most helpful if the
administration would start by
actually enforcing the laws that
are on the books.
>> This all comes as Sinema's
re-election plans remain a
mystery.
>> Reporter: Nearly all of these
Arizona Democrats worked to
elect Kyrsten Sinema to the U.S.
Senate in 2018.
How many of you will do that
again?
In her first term, senator
Sinema has bucked her own party,
blocking the white house from
the debt ceiling to filibuster
reform, and late last year,
bolted from the democratic party
to become an independent.
>> Registering as an independent
and showing up to work with the
title of independent is a
reflection of who I've always
been.
>> Reporter: Sinema has yet to
announce she's running for
re-election, but doing so would
be a political gamble.
Registered voters in this
battleground state are split
nearly evenly between Democrats,
Republicans, and independents.
>> We call upon your
resignation.
>> Reporter: The democratic base
says they feel betrayed,
accusing Sinema of listening to
donors instead of voters.
>> Sinema sold out.
>> Reporter: That anger is
offering a political opportunity
for Ruben Gallego, democratic
congressman, Latino, and a
combat veteran.
He's challenging Sinema from the
left.
>> She broke trust with a lot of
the people of Arizona that don't
trust her values anymore, and
she's not trying to repair that
relationship.
>> Reporter: Do you believe that
Arizona is a blue state?
>> I think Arizona's a bluer
state. It's becoming bluer, but you
still have to fight.
You still have to win the
moderate vote. >> Reporter: This battle?
>> It's what the old upon corn
just watching it.
>> Reporter: Is welcome news for
Republican state representative
Justin will mouth.
>> Glass stones and all that
stuff.
It's nice to see.
I'm a politician, man.
I'm a Republican.
Knowing that your opponent is
having problems getting to the
line of scrimmage and executing
their plays is good for me.
Of course it is.
>> Reporter: Still, there is
uncertainty on the Republican
side with trump loyalist care
Kari lake teasing a possible
senate bid.
Wilmouth says this scrambles the
race.
>> She's an enigma wrapped in a
riddle with a burrito around it.
It's so crazy, and it's a
testament to Arizona and what
this state is, and I think she's
got a legitimate chance.
She's a very wily and smart
politician.
>> Reporter: Sinema's path to
victory likely lasts with these
types of voters, registered
independents.
This group meets monthly, trying
to find solutions to political
extremism in Arizona.
Even here, Sinema is divisive.
>> I'm wondering who's her
constituency?
>> I gave her money, and she is
dead to me.
>> I think she stood firm on the
budget, and I agreed with her.
>> But can she win?
>> Well, I think she's not
stupid.
>> Running for one party and
then turning around right when
you're done and switching to
independent, that's just wrong.
>> I really want somebody who's
going to say, this is what I
believe, this is what I'm going
to do.
I don't care what party I'm
affiliated with.
>> Reporter: Clint Smith is
leading this meeting.
He ran for congress in 2022 as
an independent candidate,
betting his campaign on the high
numbers of independents.
He lost.
>> Does she follow the same fate
as you did?
>> She's got some major
advantages that I did not have.
A lot of name recognition and
some major bank.
>> Reporter: But do you think
she will win? >> From my experience, I feel
like people retreat to their
corners when push comes to
shove.
>> Reporter: We did reach out to
senator Sinema's office to take
part in the story.
Her office declined to do so,
instead sending us this
statement, saying, "Kyrsten is