Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s outfit to the swearing-in of Mark Kelly was the talk of the internet. The bisexual, democratic senator donned a short, purple wig and a zebra-print cardigan as she held the Bible for Kelly and Vice President Mike Pence.
While the fashion choice took most off guard and became a viral sensation, her wig is not new. Sinema has been wearing wigs to Congress throughout the pandemic. A spokesperson for Sinema told The Arizona Republic that the senator is wearing wigs to show her solidarity with Americans who are practicing social distancing, especially by not going to hair salons, to avoid the spread of the coronavirus during the pandemic.
Sinema is usually a platinum blond, but without the help of her stylist and what is most likely a lengthy double process, she’s taken to wearing wigs in order to cover her natural color growing in.
“Kyrsten is continuing to call attention to the need for all of us to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing—which she is diligently practicing, including from her hair salon,” wrote spokeswoman Hannah Hurley in a statement obtained by The Arizona Republic.
State officials and health professionals alike have been urging Americans to take necessary precautions and avoid non-essential businesses as coronavirus cases spike to the highest levels we’ve seen since March.
Sinema became the first Democratic senator elected from Arizona since 1988 when she flipped a seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake in 2018. She’s the state’s first female senator and the first openly bisexual senator in the history of the Senate. Kelly was sworn in before any of the other senators elected in November because he won a special election for the seat vacated by the late Sen. John McCain.
Kelly’s addition narrows the Republican control of the Senate to a 52 to 48 advantage. The Democrats’ only hope of taking control of the Senate would be to win Georgia’s two runoff elections, which would result in a 50-50 chamber, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris breaking tie-breaking votes.
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