PET OF THE WEEK Sinema files election paperwork as independent for 2024 Senate race
Every year, approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Of those, about 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats.
Each week, The Arizona Republic highlights a handful of the many pets up for adoption at Valley shelters. To check the status of a specific animal, please contact the shelter directly.
Zoey: Looking for love
In case it is not abundantly clear, Zoey loves her squeaky toys. In fact, the size of the love she has for toys may even surpass her physical size, which is saying quite a bit. At just 4 years old, this big baby sure is due for all the love she can get herself.
Zoey, along with another pup in the home, was confiscated by Gilbert Police in November of this year after it was found they were being mistreated. Upon arrival to the Arizona Humane Society, the Great Dane was found to have untreated sores throughout her body, the largest one being on her hip, which was already scabbing over. It was also found that Zoey had severe dental hygiene to the point where some of her teeth were not even visible due to the buildup on them.
After some dental care and medical treatment with AHS, Zoey knows that she is safe and well cared for. Now all she needs is a home that understands just how important her toys are to her and gives her lots of hugs when she isn’t playing. Zoey also loves to show off that she knows sit but doesn’t tend to want to stay in that position for too long; she has many important things to do, of course – the first of which is finding her true furever home!
How to adopt: Interested adopters can meet zesty Zoey at the Arizona Humane Society’s South Mountain location. Her adoption fee includes her spay surgery, current vaccinations, a microchip and a free followup wellness exam with a VCA Animal Hospital. Visit azhumane.org/adopt to choose one of three convenient ways to adopt based on your schedule.
Arizona
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission to run for the U.S. Senate again in 2024.
The statement lists her party affiliation as independent.
Sinema announced her departure from the Democratic Party a week ago in an op-ed in The Arizona Republic.
At the time, she would not say whether she planned to seek a second term. This move doesn’t confirm that Sinema will seek the office but allows her to raise and spend money.
Sinema won the Senate seat in 2018 in a close race against Republican Martha McSally.
“We’ve seen in recent years that the parties have pulled folks to the political edges,” Sinema said during a 45-minute interview with The Republic about her party switch. “There’s an increasing demand that you kind of fit in with one political orthodoxy or the other. … I’ve never fit that.”
She plans to caucus with Democrats, giving the party an edge on committee seats, something that could prove important to moving quickly on judicial nominations. But Sinema said she will remain uninvolved in party leadership votes and advancing the party’s broader efforts.
Her statement of candidacy sets in motion the prospect of a three-way Senate race in Arizona in 2024. Democratic Reps. Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton are exploring whether to run, and the field is wide open for Republicans.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who is leaving office in January, told The Republic he is not interested in campaigning for a Senate seat.