Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who announced earlier this year that he will not seek re-election, was overheard on a hot mic Saturday saying his party will be "toast" if it follows the lead of President Donald Trump or embattled Alabama senatorial candidate Roy Moore.
"If we become the party of Roy Moore and Donald Trump, we are toast," the Arizona senator was overheard telling Mesa Mayor John Giles, a personal friend, during a tax reform event in Arizona Saturday, according to ABC affiliate KNXV.
Giles was also heard commenting on the hot mic, sounding as if he was encouraging Flake to run against Trump in 2020.
"I am not throwing smoke at you, but you are the guy — just for fun, think about how much fun it would be — just to be the foil, you know, and point out what an idiot this guy is," Giles told Flake. "Anyway, I hope you do it."
Flake in an October speech on the Senate floor, accused the Republican Party of abandoning its core principles, and said he was not seeking re-election.
However, he told reporters after that 2020 is a "long way off," when they asked him about his plans for the future.
"That is not on my radar screen," the Arizona Republican told CNN "New Day" co-host Alisyn Camerota."That's a long way off. I'm focused on my work in the Senate. I have another good 14 months."
But when Camerota pressed him, reminding him that "2020 is not that long off," and asked him if he thought about challenging Trump for the White House, Flake responded that he hasn't "entertained that thought for very long, no."
Flake also told ABC "Good Morning America" anchor George Stephanopoulos that he plans to concentrate on his next 14 months in the Senate, and "making sure we get some good policy."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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