“When holding political power, and feeling the hunger and pressure for an immediate partisan win, it is easy to view the legislative filibuster as a weapon of obstruction,” Sinema said to an audience full of lawmakers from both political parties.

MEET THE NEW CONGRESS: THE HOUSE AND SENATE FRESHMEN ELECTED TO SERVE NEXT YEAR

“It is tempting to prefer elimination of the filibuster to compromise,” Sinema continued in her warning. “It certainly feels faster, easier, and more satisfying, at least in the short term that is. But there are dangers to choosing short-term victories over the hard and necessary work of building consensus.”

The Arizona lawmaker was one of two former Democrats, along with Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who opposed nixing the filibuster during President Joe Biden’s term as members hoped it would lead to passage of voting rights legislation and other key priorities.

Manchin also warned his fellow lawmakers not to abandon the filibuster during his farewell speech earlier this month.

“I have worked, and I believe with every bone in my body, every fiber in me, and every ounce of blood that I have, to preserve the bipartisan foundation of the Senate, and that’s the 60-vote threshold of the filibuster,” Manchin said.

Sinema similarly urged senators to focus on compromise and working across the aisle to solve the problems impacting the average person’s life rather than ending the filibuster.

“One-party rule is not democracy, that’s autocracy,” she said. “That’s not the system our forefathers envisioned. And it’s not what our country deserves. The beauty of America is in the push and the pull. Our democracy ensures that no one person, no one party, has too much control.”

As her tenure comes to an end, Sinema took aim at lawmakers who lowered the threshold to confirm federal judges from 60 votes to just 51 votes in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022.

“Half the country was shocked and disappointed when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, but it was no surprise at all,” Sinema said. “It was a foreseeable, predictable result of eliminating the Senate standard that requires bipartisan support for judicial nominees. No longer is the majority party required to nominate mainstream judges who earn support from across the political spectrum.”

“Surely I am not the only one to see the absurdity in all of this,” Sinema argued later on. “The political winds have now shifted, and yet the filibuster ensures … that the tyranny of the majority does not overrule the rights of the minority, regardless of who sits in the seat of power.”

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also praised Sinema for her strident commitment to preserving the filibuster in the face of heavy Democratic pressure before she gave her farewell speech.

“When saying nothing would have been a great deal easier, Arizona’s senior senator stood up in the face of a grave threat to this institution’s defining character, and she said no,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “And in doing so, she sent a message that will resonate long after her departure from the chamber.”

McConnell is another staunch defender of the legislative measure and claimed that under the incoming GOP majority, the filibuster will stand.

Yet, Sinema also cautioned Republicans that when they take control of the White House and both chambers of Congress next month, using reconciliation to bypass the filibuster and pass major legislation would be “short-sighted.”

“As history has shown, abusing or eliminating one tool for short-term gain means the other party will do the same when it regains political power,” Sinema warned. “It is a devolution. And I can’t think of anything more dangerous to our dear democracy than the unwillingness to question our own preconceived ideas, to examine our own biases, or to learn from those who think differently from ourselves.”

Sinema announced in March that she would not seek reelection after a contentious career frustrating Democrats in the upper chamber. Her departure paved the way for Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) to defeat Republican Kari Lake for the open seat.

After six years as a senator, Sinema pointed to her bipartisan efforts with senators to pass legislation, including the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Respect for Marriage Act, as some of the most memorable moments of her tenure.

“What I’ve tried to demonstrate in these six years is you don’t have to burn down the rules and the norms to achieve what you want,” Sinema said. “You can just do the hard work. You can build relationships. You can choose to focus on consensus, not division.”

FIVE DEMOCRATS IN PRIME POSITION TO BE FACE OF THE PARTY IN 2028

As Sinema concluded her speech, she thanked the parliamentarian, Senate staff, elevator operators, cafeteria workers, police officers, and her staff.

“You all are the unsung heroes of the Capitol,” Sinema said. “You’re here long before we arrive each day. You’re here long after we head home for the night. So thank you.”