In a stunning announcement Tuesday, anti-Trump Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2018.
AZ Central reports:
Condemning the nastiness of Republican politics in the era of President Donald Trump, Sen. Jeff Flake on Tuesday announced he will serve out the remainder of his term but will not seek re-election in 2018.
Advertisement - story continues below
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.
He told The Arizona Republic ahead of his announcement that he has become convinced “there may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party.”
Advertisement - story continues below
Flake has a rocky relationship with President Trump.
“Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He’s toxic!,” tweeted Trump in August.
Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
Flake came out in favor of saving DACA.
Jeff Flake tweeted out, “Congress needs to take immediate action to protect DACA kids.”
Advertisement - story continues below
https://twitter.com/JeffFlake/status/903663170757083136?ref_src=twsrc% 5Etfw&ref_url=http% 3A% 2F% 2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com% 2F2017% 2F09% 2Fnevertrump-hack-jeff-flake-gets-savaged-trump-supporters-telling-congress-protect-daca-kids% 2F
Trump supporters slammed him for being a RINO hack.
https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/903733187188113408?ref_src=twsrc% 5Etfw&ref_url=http% 3A% 2F% 2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com% 2F2017% 2F09% 2Fnevertrump-hack-jeff-flake-gets-savaged-trump-supporters-telling-congress-protect-daca-kids% 2F
https://twitter.com/johncardillo/status/903729246119612417?ref_src=twsrc% 5Etfw&ref_url=http% 3A% 2F% 2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com% 2F2017% 2F09% 2Fnevertrump-hack-jeff-flake-gets-savaged-trump-supporters-telling-congress-protect-daca-kids% 2F
Advertisement - story continues below
https://twitter.com/Thomas1774Paine/status/903664562477649920?ref_src=twsrc% 5Etfw&ref_url=http% 3A% 2F% 2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com% 2F2017% 2F09% 2Fnevertrump-hack-jeff-flake-gets-savaged-trump-supporters-telling-congress-protect-daca-kids% 2F
Flake ripped President Trump’s decision to pardon Sheriff Joe.
“Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course,” tweeted Flake.
https://twitter.com/JeffFlake/status/901249192257101825?ref_src=twsrc% 5Etfw&ref_url=http% 3A% 2F% 2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com% 2F2017% 2F08% 2Fnevertrumper-jeff-flake-zings-potus-trump-pardoning-sheriff-arpaio% 2F
Advertisement - story continues below
Republican challenger Dr. Kelli Ward recently jumped to a 26 point lead over #NeverTrump RINO Senator Jeff Flake in late August.
But #NeverTrump RINO Senator Jeff Flake says the recent polls are “not relevant.”
Senator Flake recently spoke with MSNBC about his current situation.
The Daily Caller reported:
GOP Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona thinks polls showing Dr. Kelli Ward beating him in the Senate primary race are “not relevant” and said Thursday that incumbents always run behind in off-year elections.
“Off year polls are always, incumbents are always down. It’s not that those polls are inaccurate. They’re probably accurate. You do ten of them you’ll get the same thing. It’s just that they’re not very relevant right now,” Flake said on “Morning Joe.”
One poll released in late August showed Ward with 47 percent, and Flake far behind with 21 percent.
Good riddance, Jeff Flake!
