Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D., Ariz.), the Democratic candidate for Senate in Arizona, said in newly resurfaced video that flag ties and pins aren't "real patriotism."
When asked at an August 2009 Project New West event to comment about patriotism, one of Sinema's fellow panelists said, "All I know is that there are a lot of red, white, and blue ties in our state legislature. That's all they wear, pins and ties that are red, white and blue stripes."
"I don't think that's real patriotism, though," responded Sinema, who was at the time an Arizona state representative. "You can wear that tie all you want ... What I see when I talk to people is a real love for our community. " She went on to talk about her favorite mountain to hike in the area, explaining that was when she felt a "sense of patriotism."
"When I'm climbing up that mountain, when I get to the top ... that is when I feel my greatest sense of patriotism," she said.
"We have this amazing sense of wonder ... we really cherish the land that we have. For me, that embodies a great sense of patriotism. I think that's much more authentic and real for the people in my state than the guy who wears the flag shirt to work."
Sinema has faced criticism for past remarks before. Earlier this month, a 2006 email she sent was released where she compared the deaths of U.S. soldiers in war to the death of illegal immigrants crossing the border.
"To state that immigration is not a war or is not equal in magnitude to war, I believe, dishonors those who have died in this country and others as migrants." she wrote.
Sinema wrote in a 2009 profile about immigration laws that she opposes "all of them."
"Some of them are not necessary; others have simply not achieved their goals," she wrote.
Sinema is running for the Senate seat currently held Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.), who announced last year he would not seek reelection. The Arizona Democrat faces Republican nominee Rep. Martha McSally (R., Ariz.) in November. A recent ABC15-OH poll found McSally polling with 47 points to Sinema's 41.
This week, Sinema has also come under fire for remarks she made at a Texas Democratic event in 2011. The Arizona Democrat repeatedly mocked her home state of Arizona for being "crazy."
"When we grew up I remember in first grade we learned a song about Arizona," she said. "Arizona is the state of the five C's: cattle, copper, citrus, cotton, and climate. And those were the five things that our state historically made its money off of. But I would add a sixth C, it's called ‘crazy.'"