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Podcasts Take Two
Meet Arizona's new democratic congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema
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Dec 26, 2012
Listen • 3:48
Meet Arizona's new democratic congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema
President Obama and members of the lame duck congress will return to Washington tomorrow to negotiate a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Only half of Americans think a deal will be struck before the end of the year, according to a Gallup poll out today.
State House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee member Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, asks Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, a question as he testifies before the committee regarding a possible amendment that makes changes to an immigration bill before the committee at the Arizona State Capitol Wednesday, March 31, 2010, in Phoenix. The amendment to the bill would ban soft immigration policies in police agencies and prohibit people from blocking traffic when they seek or offer day-labor services on street corners.
State House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee member Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, asks Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, a question as he testifies before the committee regarding a possible amendment that makes changes to an immigration bill before the committee at the Arizona State Capitol Wednesday, March 31, 2010, in Phoenix. The amendment to the bill would ban soft immigration policies in police agencies and prohibit people from blocking traffic when they seek or offer day-labor services on street corners.
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Ross D. Franklin/AP
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Former Democratic Arizona State Senator and Arizona congressional candidate Kyrsten Sinema carries a campaing sign in a neighborhood in Mesa, Ariz., Monday, Nov. 5, 2012. Sinema is running against Republican challenger Vernon Parker for Arizona's 9th Congressional District.
Former Democratic Arizona State Senator and Arizona congressional candidate Kyrsten Sinema carries a campaing sign in a neighborhood in Mesa, Ariz., Monday, Nov. 5, 2012. Sinema is running against Republican challenger Vernon Parker for Arizona's 9th Congressional District.
(
Matt York/AP
)

President Obama and members of the lame duck congress will return to Washington tomorrow to negotiate a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Only half of Americans think a deal will be struck before the end of the year, according to a Gallup poll out today.

President Obama and members of the lame duck congress will return to Washington tomorrow to negotiate a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Only half of Americans think a deal will be struck before the end of the year, according to a Gallup poll out today.

In January, a very different type of Congresswoman will arrive in Washington. 

Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema is a social worker who rose quickly through the state legislature, and she also grew up homeless for a time. 

From the Fronteras Desk in Phoenix, Peter O'Dowd has this profile.