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Is Jeff Flake the GOP Senator Most Vulnerable in a Primary?
Roll Call ^ | January 10, 2017 | Alex Roarty

Posted on 01/10/2017 4:34:33 PM PST by Clintonfatigued

Sen. Jeff Flake has vocally criticized his party’s freshly elected president, raised little money, and backed a moderate approach to an immigration overhaul.

In other words, the first-term senator from Arizona has all but begged a Donald Trump-like Republican to run against him. Now, his friends and allies fear that’s exactly what will happen — with no guarantee that the incumbent lawmaker will win.

To many GOP officials, no Republican senator is more vulnerable in a primary next year than Flake. The 54-year-old, according to one strategist who reviewed polling data last month, is less popular among likely GOP primary voters in Arizona than even John McCain, who for years has had a famously rocky relationship with his party’s base. The poll showed almost as many primary voters disliked Flake as liked him.

And although he has already drawn a challenger — former state Sen. Kelli Ward, who ran unsuccessfully against McCain last year — his supporters are more worried about another foe, state Treasurer Jeff DeWit.

DeWit was a strong Trump supporter, serving as chairman of his Arizona campaign before becoming his national campaign’s chief operating officer. And people close to Flake worry that DeWit could potentially exploit the senator’s adversarial history with Trump. Flake routinely criticized Trump’s conduct during the campaign, culminating in a tense showdown on Capitol Hill in July.

An incumbent senator has many advantages in a primary, including institutional support, name recognition and money. But none of those things might matter if the combative Trump — the leader of the Republican Party with an unrivaled bully pulpit — becomes personally involved in the race, a possibility that scares Flake allies above all else.

(Excerpt) Read more at rollcall.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Arizona
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1 posted on 01/10/2017 4:34:33 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
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To: fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; Impy; GOPsterinMA; randita; Sun; NFHale; ExTexasRedhead; ...

Jeff Flake’s behavior last year was lousy. If Jeff DeWit runs, he has my support.


2 posted on 01/10/2017 4:35:36 PM PST by Clintonfatigued (The barbarians are inside because there are no gates)
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To: Clintonfatigued

I hope so! But we had better find a great person to Primary him.......many illegals are flooding over the border and will likely vote for a Democrat.


3 posted on 01/10/2017 4:35:56 PM PST by originalbuckeye ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: Clintonfatigued

Time to dump Flake... Just as looney has McCain.


4 posted on 01/10/2017 4:37:24 PM PST by ptsal
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To: Clintonfatigued

I hope so. Flake is well, a flake.


5 posted on 01/10/2017 4:38:40 PM PST by wjcsux (MAGA, I'm not tired of winning or gloating!)
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To: wjcsux

Open primaries always deliver him and that snake, McCain.


6 posted on 01/10/2017 4:39:48 PM PST by Luke21
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To: Clintonfatigued

I sure as hell hope he’s the most vulnerable. I hope that he doesn’t end up with multiple primary opponents splitting the anti-Flake vote. That’s a favorite RINO incumbent tactic.


7 posted on 01/10/2017 4:40:15 PM PST by House Atreides (Send BOTH Hillary & Bill to prison.)
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To: Clintonfatigued

All of the Cheap Labor Express stooges need to be removed from office and Flake is the biggest stooge of them all, well, right behind McCain, Graham and Rubio.

Rubio, McCain, Murkowsky and Hoeven were all rewarded forn their treasonous vote for Gang of Eight with another term.

We can’t let that happen again.
Heller, Hatch, Corker and Flake are up in 2018 and should be replaced by people who side with the citizen and the rule of law.

Graham ands Alexander removed in 2020.


8 posted on 01/10/2017 4:40:25 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents)
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To: Clintonfatigued
Flake flaked out. Initially held promise but turned out to be a rino. Hope he loses to a real conservative.
9 posted on 01/10/2017 4:40:41 PM PST by Fungi
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To: Luke21

There’s time for Arizona to move to closed primaries before the next election.


10 posted on 01/10/2017 4:41:37 PM PST by House Atreides (Send BOTH Hillary & Bill to prison.)
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To: House Atreides

I hope so. McCains minions have fought that for years. It’s the only way he has been able to win


11 posted on 01/10/2017 4:45:52 PM PST by McGavin999
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To: Fungi

And what is the deal with Flake’s fascination with Cuba? Hiding in plain sight.


12 posted on 01/10/2017 4:50:27 PM PST by lulu16 (May the Good Lord take a liking to you!)
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To: lulu16

He is for slave labor for his Mormon friends. He hopes that Cuba can become the next source for it.


13 posted on 01/10/2017 4:55:22 PM PST by crz
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To: Clintonfatigued

Flake is a FLAKE!!!


14 posted on 01/10/2017 4:56:14 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Luke21

That is the truth - those open primaries are the only way those two survive. Jeff DeWitt would be a great candidate. President Trump surely owes him support. Mr. DeWitt could run ads with lots of dogs - walking a dog, playing fetch with a dog. Gently reminding voters of the Flake family history on the kennel incident might help with some of those open primary voters!


15 posted on 01/10/2017 4:56:57 PM PST by AzIrish
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To: Luke21
Open primaries always deliver him and that snake, McCain.

Thanks, my good FRiend.

This answers a question that I've have for a while.

16 posted on 01/10/2017 4:58:34 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except for convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: Clintonfatigued

The trouble with Flake and McCain is, with every conservative vote they lose, they gain two DemocRAT votes. The old liberal, union “snowbirds” from the upper mid-west come here just in time for the election season. I have no doubt they vote in Chicago (absentee) and Arizona every election.


17 posted on 01/10/2017 4:58:36 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (As long as tyranny exists, the Constitution and Bill of Right will never be "outdated" or "obsolete")
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To: Clintonfatigued

What is wrong with AZ voters....Flake and McCain??? Surely you could send better material to the Senate.


18 posted on 01/10/2017 5:16:53 PM PST by txrefugee
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To: Ann Archy

“Flake is a FLAKE!!!”

Might even be considered a snowflake.


19 posted on 01/10/2017 5:18:27 PM PST by willk (everyone)
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To: Clintonfatigued; ExTexasRedhead

Flake is a worthless Mormon! He needs to go. Take that from someone who was unfortunate enough to be raised a Mormon, and who knows what they are all about! And FWIW, Utah needs to get rid of another worthless Mormon, Urine Hatch. If 40 years in the Senate isn’t enough, I don’t know what is. Finally, if you want to make it a clean sweep, Nevada should off Joe Heck, another worthless Mormon. He’s the political antithesis of Harry Reid, another worthless Mormon, but no better as a Senator. These people are abetting their church’s desire to “import” their “converts” from Mexico in direct contradiction to our immigration laws. In Utah, Arizona and Nevada, Mormons have amassed major political power and they use it for their own selfish interests.


20 posted on 01/10/2017 5:22:29 PM PST by vette6387
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