Kyrsten Sinema is the first ever bisexual US senator

Kyrsten Sinema has won a landmark victory to represent Arizona in the US Senate, becoming the first ever openly bisexual senator.

The Democratic congresswoman, who has already served three terms in the US House of Representatives as the only openly bisexual member of Congress, narrowly defeated Republican candidate Martha McSally to replace Jeff Flake, a Republican senator who retired ahead of the midterm elections.

With her nail-biting victory, the margin of which currently stands at just 38,000 votes, she became the country’s second out LGBT+ senator alongside Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin, who was re-elected last week in a double-digit landslide.

Sinema was also the first openly bisexual Senate candidate from a major party (kyrsten sinema/facebook)

US’s first bisexual Senator calls for unity

Sinema, who was also the first ever openly bisexual senate candidate for a major party, reacted to the win by writing on Twitter: “As long as I’ve served Arizona, I’ve worked to help others see our common humanity & find common ground.

“That’s the same approach I’ll take to representing our great state in the Senate, where I’ll be an independent voice for all Arizonans.”

Speaking to ecstatic supporters in the state capital of Phoenix, Sinema took aim at Republican tactics which have seen McSally accuse her of “treason” and “protesting us in a pink tutu” during a fractious election campaign.

Sinema has served in the House for six years as the only openly bisexual member of Congress (kyrsten sinema/facebook)

Sinema said: “Arizona rejected what has become far too common in our country: name-calling, petty, personal attacks and doing and saying whatever it takes just to get elected.

“We can embrace difference while seeking common ground.”

— Kyrsten Sinema

“It’s dangerous, and it lessens who we are as a country. But Arizona proved that there is a better way forward.”

In a call for unity and acceptance, Sinema continued: “We can work with people who are different than us. We can be friends with people who are different than us.

“We can love and care about people who are different than us. We can keep people who different than us safe. We can be good people who care deeply about each other even when we disagree.”

• Nov 29

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