Courtesy of Politico:
Embattled Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) will retire after his current term expires, he announced on Tuesday in a decision that further roils a 2018 Senate landscape marked by multiple Republican retirements.
Flake was one of the most vulnerable Republican senators up for reelection next year. A vocal critic of President Donald Trump throughout and since the 2016 campaign, Flake said it became clear that that opposition would make it impossible for him to get through a Republican primary.
He took to the Senate floor to deliver a full-throated denunciation of Trump.
"We must never adjust to the coarseness of our dialogue, with the tone set up at the top," Flake said. "We must never accept the deadly sundering of our country. The personal attacks, threats against principles and freedoms and institutions, and flagrant disregard for decency."
"Reckless, outrageous and undignified behavior has become excused as telling it like it is when it is actually just reckless, outrageous and undignified," Flake continued. "And when such behavior emanates from the top of our government, it is something else. It is dangerous to a democracy."
Flake was trailing in the polls against a primary challenger supported by Steve Bannon, so this is of course being seen as a victory by the Breitbart crowd.
However the Republicans also see this is as an opportunity to pick another establishment candidate without Flake's baggage (He was an early critic of Trump's.) that can compete aggressively in the primary.
As for Democrats, well this is a whole new ballgame and they are both energized and excited at the possibility of picking up a Senate seat in Arizona.
Personally I think this is yet another indication that the Republicans, who actually care about government, are simply finding it impossible to work in the toxic atmosphere created by the election of Donald Trump.
Source http://ift.tt/2zAnYbf
Embattled Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) will retire after his current term expires, he announced on Tuesday in a decision that further roils a 2018 Senate landscape marked by multiple Republican retirements.
Flake was one of the most vulnerable Republican senators up for reelection next year. A vocal critic of President Donald Trump throughout and since the 2016 campaign, Flake said it became clear that that opposition would make it impossible for him to get through a Republican primary.
He took to the Senate floor to deliver a full-throated denunciation of Trump.
"We must never adjust to the coarseness of our dialogue, with the tone set up at the top," Flake said. "We must never accept the deadly sundering of our country. The personal attacks, threats against principles and freedoms and institutions, and flagrant disregard for decency."
"Reckless, outrageous and undignified behavior has become excused as telling it like it is when it is actually just reckless, outrageous and undignified," Flake continued. "And when such behavior emanates from the top of our government, it is something else. It is dangerous to a democracy."
Flake was trailing in the polls against a primary challenger supported by Steve Bannon, so this is of course being seen as a victory by the Breitbart crowd.
However the Republicans also see this is as an opportunity to pick another establishment candidate without Flake's baggage (He was an early critic of Trump's.) that can compete aggressively in the primary.
As for Democrats, well this is a whole new ballgame and they are both energized and excited at the possibility of picking up a Senate seat in Arizona.
Personally I think this is yet another indication that the Republicans, who actually care about government, are simply finding it impossible to work in the toxic atmosphere created by the election of Donald Trump.
Source http://ift.tt/2zAnYbf
