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Sen. Jeff Flake to retire at end of term, not running for re-election

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K1052

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
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http://www.azcentral.com/story/news...-reelection-gop-primary-ward-trump/793952001/

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.

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."

Here's the bottom line

Flake said he has not "soured on the Senate" and loves the institution, but that as a traditional, libertarian-leaning conservative Republican he is out of step with today's Trump-dominated GOP.
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Guess the race in AZ will be up to one of several GOP nut jobs and a Dem now. It is unclear if more extreme Trump like Rs will carry elections in more mixed states.
 
Bitek

Bitek

Lifer
Aug 2, 2001
10,676
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Rats leaving the ship.

Realistically we'll have two elections for AZ senators in the next yr.
 
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soundforbjt

soundforbjt

Lifer
Feb 15, 2002
17,788
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Bannon's plan will either work and we'll be totally f***ed, or Dems take the Senate. Corker' seat is going to a Trumper.
 
MomentsofSanity

MomentsofSanity

Lifer
Jan 25, 2011
17,083
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Just hands another "victory" to Trump to parade to the faithful. Flake quit because he was afraid of me blah blah blah.
 
A

alien42

Lifer
Nov 28, 2004
12,867
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Flake is giving an anti-trump speech that will go down in the history books and he is doing everything he can to not cry.
 
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MomentsofSanity

MomentsofSanity

Lifer
Jan 25, 2011
17,083
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Oh yeah Trump gonna go off over this one. My vote. That Flake stumbled a lot in his speaking. I'd put money on it.

How sad that "guess the petty insult subject from the President of the United States" is a thing now.
 
K1052

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,756
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Flake just got out the flamethrower on the Senate floor
 
A

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
16,094
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Who's up next? Seems like the only guys growing a spine are those that aren't going to be up for re-election. Anyway, thumbs up to Flake and Corker for calling out the liar, bigot and national disgrace that Trump is.
 
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K1052

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,756
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Ajay said:
Who's up next? Seems like the only guys growing a spine are those that aren't going to be up for re-election. Anyway, thumbs up to Flake and Corker for calling out the liar, bigot and national disgrace that Trump is.
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Hatch is rumored to be considering retirement in the face of poor polling at home and his age. Senators seem not to be in a mood to go quietly these days.

A number of Rs in the House have made more discreet exits or aren't running again in 2018.
 
UNCjigga

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,587
10,285
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This irks me--while it seems like they are taking a stand against Trump, they aren't fighting for the soul of their party at the ballot box. It seems like Flake, Corker and host of House reps would rather disappear next year and allow Bannon and Mercer's hand-picked goons to take over. Is that cowardice, or just shrewd political calculus that says they have no shot and shouldn't waste their money? Either way, I guess I understand now why the alt-right calls them "cucks".
 
D

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
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Pretty scalding, at least he put his money where his mouth was and refused to participate. I don't like the prospect of a one-party nation come 2020/2024 but I really don't see how the Republican party is going to walk out of this one. Shamble maybe, but not walk.
 
MomentsofSanity

MomentsofSanity

Lifer
Jan 25, 2011
17,083
9,564
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[DHT]Osiris said:
Pretty scalding, at least he put his money where his mouth was and refused to participate. I don't like the prospect of a one-party nation come 2020/2024 but I really don't see how the Republican party is going to walk out of this one. Shamble maybe, but not walk.
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I'm inclined to disagree. Putting his money where his mouth was would be sticking it out. Winning reelection on a contrary position and demonstrating he was right.

At least that's my thought on it.
 
D

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
17,383
16,664
146
MomentsofSanity said:
I'm inclined to disagree. Putting his money where his mouth was would be sticking it out. Winning reelection on a contrary position and demonstrating he was right.

At least that's my thought on it.
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Makes sense, but doesn't 'silent participation' condone Trump's actions, even if the intent exists to usurp later? Isn't a few vocal rejections better for bringing greater attention to this? I'm working under the pretense that he was trying to announce his dissatisfaction with the current course, and stating that he won't have any part of it.

I can see the argument for either side, problem is I don't know which of the republicans disagree with him but are sticking it out. I now know at least one that disagrees with him publicly.
 
MomentsofSanity

MomentsofSanity

Lifer
Jan 25, 2011
17,083
9,564
146
[DHT]Osiris said:
Makes sense, but doesn't 'silent participation' condone Trump's actions, even if the intent exists to usurp later? Isn't a few vocal rejections better for bringing greater attention to this? I'm working under the pretense that he was trying to announce his dissatisfaction with the current course, and stating that he won't have any part of it.

I can see the argument for either side, problem is I don't know which of the republicans disagree with him but are sticking it out. I now know at least one that disagrees with him publicly.
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The way I see it is Trump, and by extension all his little fan bois, will trumpet this as victory. That he was too afraid to stand up against him. That he knew he couldn't win. This will empower them however right or wrong that is.
 
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D

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
17,383
16,664
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MomentsofSanity said:
The way I see it is Trump, and by extension all his little fan bois, will trumpet this as victory. That he was too afraid to stand up against him. That he knew he couldn't win. This will empower them however right or wrong that is.
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Probably true, with any luck this sort of thing will continue until that group is so small and isolated they can't do much damage.
 
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