GOP Sen. Jeff Flake Agrees That Someone Who ‘Espouses’ His Views Needs to Challenge Trump in 2020
.@chucktodd on Trump: "He's running for reelection already. He announced that last night basically. Do you think he needs to be challenged from somebody who espouses your views?" @JeffFlake: "Yes, I do. I do." #MTP pic.twitter.com/iU8BVU42OQ
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 11, 2018
So did soon-to-be ex-Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) announce that he was thinking of a 2020 presidential run? Ummm, maybe.
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press this morning, Flake — who has been outspoken in his Trump criticism for a while now — criticized the behavior exhibited by the president at his off-the-rails campaign rally last night, stating that “we should never normalize this kind of behavior.”
Asked by host Chuck Todd if he regrets his decision to retire from the Senate, Flake noted that he wasn’t leaving Congress because he has any “ill will” towards the institution or his colleagues, adding that he loved Congress.
The Arizona Republican explained that he couldn’t get re-elected in his party right now because he believes in free trade and has expressed reservations towards the president, who is a member of his party.
“He’s running for reelection already,” Todd stated. “He announced that last night basically. Do you think he needs to be challenged from somebody who espouses your views?”
“Yes, I do,” the senator responded. “I do.”
He went on to say that it would be a tough go for any Republican to run a primary campaign against Trump.
Earlier in the interview, Todd had explained that Flake has planned trips to New Hampshire, pointing out that tends to raise questions that someone is thinking about making a presidential run.
Watch the clip above, via NBC News.
[image via screengrab]
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