Senator Jeff Flake suddenly announced Tuesday he will not run for re-election in 2018.
CBS News reports:
Sen. Jeff Flake abruptly announced Tuesday that will not run for re-election after all in the 2018 midterm elections, leave the Senate when his term ends in January 2019 and delivered a blistering rebuke of President Trump’s behavior.
The Arizona Republican announced on the Senate floor that he could “better serve my country and conscience” by dropping his re-election bid, “freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth,” he said.
Flake then turned his attention to President Trump, blaming him, in part, for his decision to retire.
Flake issued a thinly-veiled take-down of President Trump, criticizing the “personal attacks,” the “threats against principles, freedom and institutions” and “flagrant disregard for truth and decency.” He argued that recklessness, outrageous and unhinged behavior have been excused as “telling it like it is, but he warned that when such behavior “emanates from the top of government,” he said it’s something else.
“It is dangerous to our democracy,” Flake said. “Why didn’t you speak up? What are we going to say?” he asked rhetorically. “Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough.”
“It is clear at this moment that a traditional conservative…has a narrower and narrower path to nomination in the Republican party,” Flake admitted on the Senate floor.
It appears – like the retiring Senator Corker – the newly-lame-duck junior Senator will spend his remaining time in office through January of 2019 joining with Democrats and establishment Republicans to block the implementation of the ‘America First’ agenda President Trump ran and won on in 2016.
As an incumbent, Senator Flake has been plagued by low poll numbers in head-to-head matchups against challenger Dr. Kelli Ward, a former state senator. The numbers show Flake at a very tough 25% deficit.
Additionally, Ward has the enthusiastic endorsement of Steve Bannon, Laura Ingraham, and other influential conservatives. She previously ran an unsuccessful challenge against Senator John McCain in 2016, and leveraged her momentum into a 2018 challenge to Senator Flake.
Senator John McCain tweeted support of his colleague, and included a link to his remarks made today on the Senate floor in reaction to Flake’s announcement.
It’s been one of the great honors of my life to serve w/ @JeffFlake– a man of integrity, honor, decency & commitment to Arizona & the nation pic.twitter.com/DOHAoHx0d2
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) October 24, 2017
Challenger Dr. Kelli Ward also reacted:
Arizona voters are the big winner in @JeffFlake's decision to not seek reelection. They deserve a strong, conservative in the Senate 1/2
— Dr. Kelli Ward 🇺🇸 (@kelliwardaz) October 24, 2017
Who supports @POTUS & the 'America First' agenda. Our campaign proudly offers an optimistic path forward for Arizona & America #MAGA 2/2
— Dr. Kelli Ward 🇺🇸 (@kelliwardaz) October 24, 2017
Arizona was on its way to rid us of Senator Flake with his anemic Heritage lifetime score of 73. Let’s just make certain that we don’t send Fincher to the Senate with his 71 to take his place.