Arizona's Jeff Flake announces he will not seek re-election to U.S. Senate
Source: Arizona Republic
Condemning the nastiness of Republican politics in the era of President Trump, Sen. Jeff Flake on Tuesday announced he will serve out the remainder of his term but will not seek re-election in 2018.
The bombshell, which Flake, R-Ariz., intended to detail Tuesday afternoon on the Senate floor, will further roil Republican hopes of keeping the party's 52-seat Senate majority in the midterm elections of Trump's first term, when the president's party historically loses seats in Congress.
It also likely will upend the race for Flake's seat.
Flake, one of the Senate's more prominent critics of President Donald Trump, has been struggling in the polls.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/2017/10/24/republican-senator-jeff-flake-announces-not-running-senate-reelection-gop-primary-ward-trump/793952001/
Bad news for Democrats
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Would have been a nasty primary between him and Ward. Democrat would have benefited - if Flake had won, many Trumpsters would have not voted. If Ward had won, most moderate GOP would stay home.
Now, depending on who runs, it will make the race harder to to win.
JusticeForAll
(1,222 posts)I think well see a few more republican idiots jump in and make the primary bloody.
lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)Ward will win the primary for Flake's seat.
The difference is now we probably won't see a nasty primary fight and therefore turn off the more moderate Flake voters once Ward wins anyway.
Va Lefty
(6,252 posts)NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)adigal
(7,581 posts)We will take this Senate seat now. Arizona is NOT Alabama, and even in Alabama, the Dem is even with the Republican.
not fooled
(5,801 posts)to dog's ears...but beware the nasty-ass vote theft machinery led by GOPee tool sec'ty of state Ms. regan. They will try to throw a spanner in the works, no doubt about it.
Va Lefty
(6,252 posts)Hope you are correct, but being a pessimist I'm either pleasantly surprised or right
lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)The nutjob is probably a shoo in
adigal
(7,581 posts)Trump is down to between 33 and 37%. The candidate in Alabama is tied, for pete's sake! We have to win Arizona!!
Bleacher Creature
(11,257 posts)NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)but unless they actually do something other than tweet or issue a stern letter or sound bite, it's meaningless.
Bleacher Creature
(11,257 posts)Considering that 99% of Congressional Republicans won't even go that far.
I'm thinking this news guarantees that the GOP is going to nominate a Trump-like lunatic for this seat, which could go a long way towards electing a Democrat, which is by far the best outcome!
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)Seeing that he announced he's not running, he seems to be actually doing something with meaning.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/republican-jeff-flake-condemns-trump-as-a-danger-to-democracy-in-stunning-senate-speech/
(snips)
Flake said that too many within both the Republican Party and the conservative movement have excused Trumps reckless, outrageous, and undignified behavior by claiming that the president is simply telling it like it is.
Flake also accused Trump of engaging in the impulse to scapegoat and belittle, which he said threatens to turn us into a fearful, backward looking people. In the case of the Republican Party, those things also threaten to turn us into a fearful, backward-looking minority party, Flake said.
--------------------
LOL: They've been a a fearful, backward-looking party for as long as I can recall.
scipan
(2,351 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)scipan
(2,351 posts)He's too crass for them. Or something. I never could get into the mind of a Repub senator.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)I sense they fear that if tRump continues with his outpouring of overt lies and insults, it may seriously damage the Republican Party to the point where they lose their majority. They are crazy mad with power.
If you ever figure out how to crack the Republican mindset, let us all know. My efforts with street-level R's have drawn a nil - like trying to have a logical discussion with a stop sign.
Midnight Writer
(21,768 posts)Flake's number was already up in AZ.
Doesn't take much courage to tell the boss to kiss your ass when you are on your out the door.
IronLionZion
(45,454 posts)Looks like centrist Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema is the frontrunner for the Dems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrsten_Sinema#2016
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)IronLionZion
(45,454 posts)Especially if our side is energized for high turnout
leon8822
(82 posts)That's what Michelangelo Signorile said
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Yes, she is a blue dog, and votes with the GOP more than I would like, but she is far to the left of anything that the GOP will vote for in the primary.
sweetloukillbot
(11,029 posts)She was not a centrist when she was in the state house, but she's representing a very purple district and her votes reflect that. More importantly, she's popular and knows how to win elections. She'll put up a good fight and has a good chance of winning.
This is Arizona, unless you're Grijalva or Gallego, you need to be a Blue Dog. Like Gabby Giffords was.
leon8822
(82 posts)brooklynite
(94,597 posts)murielm99
(30,745 posts)which was very wise and articulate.
I am sick of this purist shit.
irisblue
(32,980 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Still have been a rubberstamp for Drumpf
irisblue
(32,980 posts)Has backed trump 92% of the time. The biggest things I can see that Portman had disagreed with trump with has been the Russian sanctions.
Botany
(70,516 posts)and they are trying to get out before the shit hits the fan.
Arizona was also a state that HRC was predicted to win.
not fooled
(5,801 posts)secretary of state rabidly partisan puke had something to do with that. AZ pukes play dirty.
LovingA2andMI
(7,006 posts)Get a Grip, Seriously. Arizona Dems have a strong contender for the Senate Seat with Kyrsten Sinema.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)I support her campaign.
But the winner of a Flake-Ward primary would be much easier to beat.
LovingA2andMI
(7,006 posts)Kyrsten Sinema even if is a silent backing, encouraging Never Trump Republicans like him to vote for Sinema.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)leon8822
(82 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)here is the petition to try and draft him
https://pac.petitions.moveon.org/sign/show-support-for-mark
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Unfitness for office. If this gains momentum with other Congressional Republicans, the impetus for Articles of Impeachment has begun.
George II
(67,782 posts)frazzled
(18,402 posts)I disagree with Flakes conservative positions altogether, but I must say that as a person, he is honorable.
He definitely outcorked Corker, in terms of the breadth and eloquence of his criticisms of the Resident. But all I could think of was that between these two, plus McCain and possibly Murkowski, there are definitely enough senators to convict if the House should move to impeach. Big if, but the stage is set.
George II
(67,782 posts)will be out of the Senate.
But this today will send shock waves through the republican party.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)a part of me still wants to hope that as Trump goes further and further off the rails during the next year (inconceivable that there even is a "further," but I've come to expect the inconceivable) that there is a slim chance of rebellion. After all, it's a long, long way from early November to mid-January. I know it's mostly a holiday break, but emergency sessions ... well, you can see I've crossed the International Dateline.
McCain may not live long enough, and Flake will be gone, but they still have time to work on others who will stay on or succeed them. They still have voices.
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)I just read the transcript. It's not often I'm moved by a speech given by a Republican, but this one moved me. I don't agree with his decision to not run, but it is his decision.
George II
(67,782 posts)NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)Of course anyone who criticizes the *president is the enemy. She said Flake's decision is "probably a good move."
Worst.Press.Secretary.Ever. And I include Ron Ziegler and Ari Fleischer.
Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)Why are they just vacating office to allow Bannon's spawn to take over?
dobleremolque
(492 posts)I guess we'll have to wait until Trump has to go to the bathroom to find out.
Smitty63nnn
(59 posts)Let the shit hit the fan. It's time to take the GOP and it's f'ing cronies down.
turbinetree
(24,703 posts)sexual predator, why did he sit in that senate and conform Gorsuch, Devos, Zinke, Carson, and some of these other fucking federal judges come down the pike-----------------this is amazing
Principles Flake, means that your party put power over country and enabled a TRAITOR, to damage the republic----------that is unforgivable and when you were reading Teddy Roosevelt-------------he didn't try to sell off the Grand Canyon, or attack Indigenous People and there rights
And yes I am pissed off---------------------now your state has another right wing wing nut trying to get intro office just like that wing nut Moore from Alabama
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Remember, Flake will be in the Senate until Jan. 2019. In the meantime Flake, McCain and Corker (and hopefully other R's) can freely speak out against trump.
adigal
(7,581 posts)Pro-Trump
Anti-immigrant
Racist, sexist, bigoted
We will win this seat now for sure.
bearsfootball516
(6,377 posts)rockfordfile
(8,704 posts)elmac
(4,642 posts)retire or be primaried by koch and the other rich elites. Plus most repugs have a nice, well paid i scratch ur back u scratch mine gig waiting for them.
BumRushDaShow
(129,096 posts)That is a bombshell.
Given his consistent fiscal conservative/anti-"pork" street cred, this goes to show how far off the cliff the GOP has leaped.