In a surprise move, Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, a vocal opponent of Pres. Donald Trump, announced on Monday that he will not seek re-election in 2018, citing the nastiness of Trump-era Republican politics.
Watch:
Sen. Flake announces he will not seek reelection, saying a “traditional conservative” has “narrower and narrower path” in Republican Party. pic.twitter.com/3ok5zWlvmM
— ABC News (@ABC) October 24, 2017
In a statement to The Arizona Republic, Flake — who has been struggling in polls — said that while he loves the Senate and has not “soured” on the Senate as an institution, he is convinced that “there may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party.”
From AZ Central:
“Here’s the bottom line: The path that I would have to travel to get the Republican nomination is a path I’m not willing to take, and that I can’t in good conscience take,” Flake told The Republic in a telephone interview. “It would require me to believe in positions I don’t hold on such issues as trade and immigration and it would require me to condone behavior that I cannot condone.”
Flake added that he is out of step with the GOP because he’s a libertarian-leaning conservative and the overwhelming support for Trump’s unbelievable positions and “behavior” make elections troublesome for people who have publicly disagreed with the president. That said, Flake’s ‘s decision will likely make it even more difficult for the GOP to keep their 52-seat Senate majority in the midterm elections.
Watch Flake’s full speech below. It’s powerful.
