News that Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., will not seek re-election has set off a scramble among Republicans considering a run for what will now be an open seat as the party tries to hold onto its narrow majority of 52 seats.
At the moment, multiple Republican lawmakers are looking at jumping into the contest against Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., her party’s likely nominee. Prominent Republicans viewed as possible candidates with Flake out are Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz. and Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz.
A source close to McSally confirmed soon after Flake’s jarring Senate floor speech had concluded that “she’s being bombarded by supporters to consider” running. McSally’s team is expected to run the traps on a possible bid.
Schweikert is House Freedom Caucus member and staunch conservative, giving him a potential advantage in the GOP primary. But the telegenic McSally, a military veteran, would be a formidable general election candidate, especially against Sinema. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it’s premature to talk about who may run in place of Flake, who he lauded in the wake of the announcement.
“She’s a wonderful person,” McCain said of the Tuscon-based congresswoman, “but it’s just too early. We don’t know — I mean, it just happened.”
Jeff DeWitt, the state treasurer and a close ally of Trump, is likely to be in the mix as well. But some Republican insiders say he could be discouraged from running by the opposition research book.
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., another Freedom Caucus member, told the Washington Examiner that he is mulling a run for Flake’s seat after deciding against one back in 2012 when Flake ran and won. He said that he has received numerous phone calls urging him to launch a bid, but cautioned that he wanted to see how the field shakes out first before making any decisions.
“There’s a lot of contemplation going on in my mind and heart right now,” Franks said. “If the objective for me were to become a U.S. senator…this would be an excellent time to do that. I don’t know what the future holds, maybe there would be another time, but I’m just going to see who else decides to look at it for now.”
The news created a firestorm on Capitol Hill the same day where President Trump reignited his feud with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and lunched with the Senate Republican conference at the Capitol. Flake proceeded to deliver a floor speech that offered a scathing indictment of the president,
“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.”
As of now, only one Republican is left in the race — Kelli Ward, who ran against McCain last year and who has earned praise from the president. Many Republicans believe that Flake’s exit will make it tougher for Ward to break through in a primary contest, though the field has yet to take shape.
“I don’t know yet,” Schweikert told reporters, declining to say if he’d consider a run. “I think we’ll have a little bit of a family discussion with the Republican members, and see if anyone has the burning ambition.”
