Arizona's Jeff Flake announces he will not seek re-election to U.S. Senate

[dbackjon]

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/

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Bad news for Democrats

[Iliyah]

1. Why bad news?

[dbackjon]

2. Flake was unpopular among Trumptards that control the state GOP

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]

32. Well said, jon

I think we’ll see a few more republican idiots jump in and make the primary bloody.

[lapfog_1]

53. If McCain survives for a while longer

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]

4. A bloody primary fight would have left winner weakened

[NurseJackie]

31. I believe so.

[adigal]

41. They're going to have a nutjob running as the R

We will take this Senate seat now. Arizona is NOT Alabama, and even in Alabama, the Dem is even with the Republican.

[not fooled]

45. From your lips

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]

49. That would be awesome but I fear that is not the outcome.

Hope you are correct, but being a pessimist I'm either pleasantly surprised or right

[lapfog_1]

54. I hope you are right... but from my time in Arizona

The nutjob is probably a shoo in

[adigal]

59. You think? Arizona is trending bluer, no? Trump won by 3.5% and he has gone down a lot

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]

3. Wow! Expect him to start lobbing some Corker-like barbs at Trump. NT

[NewJeffCT]

5. Barbs are nice and all

but unless they actually do something other than tweet or issue a stern letter or sound bite, it's meaningless.

[Bleacher Creature]

25. I hear you.

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]

44. Seeing that he announced he's not running

Seeing that he announced he's not running, he seems to be actually doing something with meaning.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

48. He did, as shown here:

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 Trump’s “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]

50. It was a pretty powerful speech, coming from a Repug

[KY_EnviroGuy]

55. Are these guys getting real religion or morals all of a sudden?

[scipan]

56. Ha. Maybe their sense of decorum?

He's too crass for them. Or something. I never could get into the mind of a Repub senator.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

58. Scipan, I think they fear for the Party.

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]

57. Hell no! Their goal is still to cut millions from healthcare and cut taxes for richest Americans.

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]

6. Any chance Dems could be competitive?

Looks like centrist Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema is the frontrunner for the Dems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrsten_Sinema#2016

[dbackjon]

7. She can be competitive, yes

[IronLionZion]

10. There's a chance our candidate can win on her own merits, not because of a bloody GOP primary

Especially if our side is energized for high turnout

[leon8822]

14. From what I've heard she votes with the Republicans the majority of the time

That's what Michelangelo Signorile said

[dbackjon]

17. Incorrect

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]

34. I think she's a blue dog more by necessity than ideology

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]

15. She won't win I'm sick of this Centrist shit

[brooklynite]

23. ...but a Sanders progressiv would be a winner in Arizona?

[murielm99]

43. You need to look at post #34,

which was very wise and articulate.

I am sick of this purist shit.

[irisblue]

8. Flake has voted w/ trump 91.7% of the time, per 538.com

[dbackjon]

9. Like the rest of the GOP that are claiming to be horrified by him.

Still have been a rubberstamp for Drumpf

[irisblue]

11. Yep. Portman(Oh) heartless

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]

12. "they" all know what is gonna come out about Trump/Russia/elections

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]

46. The GOPee

secretary of state rabidly partisan puke had something to do with that. AZ pukes play dirty.

[LovingA2andMI]

13. "Bad News For Democrats".....

Get a Grip, Seriously. Arizona Dems have a strong contender for the Senate Seat with Kyrsten Sinema.

[dbackjon]

16. Yes, she is my Congresswoman

I support her campaign.


But the winner of a Flake-Ward primary would be much easier to beat.

[LovingA2andMI]

30. Whose To Say That Flake Will Not Back....

Kyrsten Sinema even if is a silent backing, encouraging Never Trump Republicans like him to vote for Sinema.

[grantcart]

18. Mark Kelley please come forward, we need you now.

[leon8822]

29. Do we even know if he's a democrat?

[grantcart]

37. Democrat and willing to run

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/235624-gabby-mark-giffords-open-to-running-for-office

here is the petition to try and draft him

https://pac.petitions.moveon.org/sign/show-support-for-mark

[Trust Buster]

19. This is great news IMO. Another Republican freeing himself politically to speak about Don the Cons

Unfitness for office. If this gains momentum with other Congressional Republicans, the impetus for Articles of Impeachment has begun.

[George II]

20. His speech on the floor of the Senate just a few minutes ago will be remembered for decades.

[frazzled]

22. It was remarkable

I disagree with Flake’s 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]

27. Unfortunately the House will not impeach before the next election, and by then both Corker and Flake

will be out of the Senate.

But this today will send shock waves through the republican party.

[frazzled]

33. I realize that, but ...

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]

35. It was indeed remarkable

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]

36. Sarah Huckleberry is giddy with joy about it during her "briefing".

[NastyRiffraff]

38. Oh god I can't stand to watch her

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]

21. If these guys are anti-Trump...

Why are they just vacating office to allow Bannon's spawn to take over?

[dobleremolque]

24. Wonder what Trump will say ....

I guess we'll have to wait until Trump has to go to the bathroom to find out.

[Smitty63nnn]

26. Here we go

Let the shit hit the fan. It's time to take the GOP and it's f'ing cronies down.

[turbinetree]

28. Now that he has come to the full realization that 65 million other sane voters had about this

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]

39. In the short run, I think it's good news

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]

40. This is great news for us - Bannon wlll support the nuttiest person they can

Pro-Trump
Anti-immigrant
Racist, sexist, bigoted

We will win this seat now for sure.

[bearsfootball516]

51. Arizona went red in the last election

[rockfordfile]

52. yes it can be won

[elmac]

42. they have no choice

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]

47. Wow.

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.