‘She answers to billionaires’: some Democrats not sorry to see Sinema leave

Senator's decision to register as independent after playing spoiler role brings Democrats' bitterness towards lawmaker to surface

Upon learning that the Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema was leaving their party, some Democrats' reactions could best be summed up with two words: good riddance.

The lawmaker has been a thorn in their side since the early days of Joe Biden's presidency, snarling negotiations over the White House's priorities and voting down reforms dear to progressives such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and reforming the Senate filibuster.