Talking Points Memo catches up with Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who has been one of the few Republicans willing to condemn GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump:

But, in a candid, Capitol Hill interview with TPM, Flake offered what he has all campaign season, honesty and insight into what it is like to be one of the few elected Republicans in Washington willing to call out his own party’s nominee for president.

“I am in a position to do it,” Flake said. “I’m not up for re-election. … I’m the first to wonder if I would do the same thing if I were up for re-election. I’d like to think I would, but I don’t know.”

In a campaign cycle when the Republican Party has bent, flipped and tied itself into knots to validate their support for Trump, the typically congenial and restrained Flake has emerged on Capitol Hill as kind of GOP conscience, warning his party that their blind allegiance to Trump may cost the party in the future. While Flake’s colleagues briskly bypass the Capitol press corps, Flake has sometimes reluctantly, but consistently been willing to call Trump what he is: a liability.

“When he made the kind of statements he’s made regarding minorities, women, POWs, others, somebody has to stand up and call him out,” Flake said. “Republican have a tough time building a coalition that can win general elections. We’ve lost the last two. We cannot afford to go out of our way to offend groups that should be part of our coalition.”

Flake talks about how his Mormon faith has influenced his thoughts on Trump:

But, in reflecting on the last year, there was another factor weighing on Flake, his faith. As a Mormon, Flake said the church’s teachings on refugees and its own history as a persecuted religion have made him especially concerned about Trump.

“Half of the church is overseas, abroad. A lot of immigrants who come here are members of the church as well and certainly treatment of refugees and just basic Christian principles I think, we try to be guided by that,” Flake said. “When [Trump] talked about applying a religious test for immigrants or visitors to the country that strikes a pretty sour note.”

[Talking Points Memo]

This article appears in Sep 8-14, 2016.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

16 replies on “Sen. Jeff Flake on His Battles With Trump: “Somebody Has To Stand Up and Call Him Out””

  2. “I am in a position to do it,” Flake said. “I’m not up for re-election. … I’m the first to wonder if I would do the same thing if I were up for re-election. I’d like to think I would, but I don’t know.”

    Flake puts his desire for re-election BEFORE his responsibility to be HONEST to the Citizens of Arizona. This should be no conundrum for Senator Flake; the REQUIREMENT to be HONEST. …and a Mormon???

    “………Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” Joseph Story Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 2d ed. (1851), vol. 2, chapter 45, p. 617.

  3. Hey where is Flakes conscience when it comes to HRC ? Not a peep out of the phony phlake.
    Anything about those DNC emails and the slurs regarding blacks, gays and the ” taco bowl”?
    Any problem with Fulbright being Bill’s mentor or Bobby “sheets” Bird named by Hillary as one of
    her heroes. Any more of your family members kill any kennel dogs this weak Jeff?
    God I wish you were up for re-election.

  5. Flake is the reason that I quit the NRA.
    Support this do nothing , suck at the government teat, career gravy sucking pig over a true American hero: Dr. Richard Carmona.
    Flake will continue to suck the teat until Phoenix realizes they might want to reconsider their man!

  7. I had no idea Sen Flake was such a tool of the Rep/Dem Establishment. He is now clearly
    a Hillary supporter whether he likes it or not, and he should have known where his
    actions would lead. I feel so stupid that I was so deceived, and I regret any support
    I ever voiced for him. I hope he has the decency to leave the Republican party
    and become independent. His Establishment buddies will be sure to get him
    reelected.

  8. He has to do something to look tough… his approval ratings are at an all time low, according to the AZ Republican newspaper…

  9. @emptynester:

    Just because Senator Flake points out the obvious about Trump, it doesn’t make him a Clinton supporter. That’s akin to saying if you don’t enjoy Pepsi, you’re automatically a Coca-Cola drinker. I realize that everything which he said about Trump are FACTS, not beliefs, and I am NOT a Clinton supporter.

    Trump has made some very damaging statements against several groups of people. If you’re one of his supporters that refuses to acknowledge these FACTS, then you belong in that basket that Clinton made reference to.

    You should feel stupid that you have been deceived…by Trump.

  10. At last, a politician who is not afraid to call it like it is. Trump’s own words brand him as a racist, a bigot, anti woman and just plain reprehensible. He is not the person who should represent the United States. Sen. Flake calls it like it is. To this I say’ “Bravo!!”
    Sen. Flake puts country over party. To this I say, “Bravo!!”

  11. Trump isn’t the best pick, but you should back your party candidate, unless you want Hillary to get in and continue four more years of failed issues. Supreme Court appointees are on the table, as well as the economy & security to our country. What is it with you and Romney? Any Republican that does not support his party should be held responsible if Clinton Corruption takes down this country. Shame on you!

  13. The GOP should be very afraid. If Trump wins, that will be the end of their party. It may be the end of our nation as well.

  14. Many people thought that Obama would end our country as we know it. he is importing unvetted Syrians and will leave us $20T in debt. Veterans issues have never been resolved. If Trump is successful it may be the end of the democratic party. Either way America is headed towards a dictatorship because they have ignored the Constitution.

  15. I recently wrote Flake and told him I’d vote for freaking Raul the fool if he decided to run for the Senate before I’d vote for him. The man is an outrage.

  16. Jeff Flake and Mitt Romney are both putting the “Establishment” and its safety over the continuing decline in the life of the middle class. Both have a most comfortable life and enough money to last them to infinity and beyond. Both are blind to the FACT that the policies that Hillary represents, and apparently what they represent, have been bad, continue to be bad both now and in the future, for the average American. Jeff and Mitt are clearly elitists, just like Hilary. I remember the fear of Ronald Reagan becoming President; I also remember all the good he did for
    the country. I hope there is a housecleaning of the Republican Party, and the new wave will be politicians who care for all Americans, the Constitution, the rule of Law, and the sovereign United States of America. Finally, Citizenship and voting are privileges, not rights; these privileges should be treasured, respected, and preserved.

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