Anti-Trump ex-GOP Senator endorses VP Kamala Harris
Jeff Flake, the former U.S. Senator from Arizona, is endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Flake announced his endorsement on X on Sunday.
There, he said:
I’ll be supporting Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President. I’ve served with Kamala in the U.S Senate. I’ve also served with Tim in the House of Representatives. I know them. I know first of hand of their fine character and love of country. I would encourage all Republicans who feel this way to do the same.
I’ll be supporting Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President.
I’ve served with Kamala in the U.S Senate. I’ve also served with Tim in the House of Representatives.
I know them. I know first of hand of their fine character and love of country.
I would… pic.twitter.com/xn0OM4rcqk
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 29, 2024
Remembering Flake
Flake refers to himself as such things as a "Republican," a "conservative," and even a "conservative Republican." While it is true that he was elected as a Republican, during his time in Congress, his actions proved himself to be anything but.
While in the upper chamber, Flake established himself as one of the most anti-Trump members of Congress. And, since leaving Congress, he has teamed up with the Democrats.
In the 2020 presidential election, Flake endorsed President Joe Biden.
And, over the past two years, Biden has rewarded him by making him the U.S. ambassador to Turkey.
Now, with his endorsement of Harris, it appears that Flake is trying to get a spot in Harris's administration - should an administration ever come to pass.
"I know that a lot of conservative Republicans"
Flake, over the weekend, participated in an interview on ABC News, where he announced his support of Harris. In the process, he attempted to explain why he is for Harris and against Trump.
Flake said:
Well, I think Republicans believe in the rule of law, in particular, and it’s difficult to support a candidate who, having lost an election, tries to use the powers of the presidency to overturn that election that is anything but respect for the rule of law, so I know that a lot of conservative Republicans feel the way I do, that you just can’t support a candidate like that.
ABC did not ask him to name some of the "conservative Republicans" who are supporting Harris.
Flake, in the interview, even went on to claim that Harris is better than Trump on policy. Regarding immigration, for example, Flake said:
[S]he outlined a couple of policies where she would be more, she would be tougher on the border, particularly with asylum policies. We’ve got to have a situation where we have comprehensive reform. One thing that she brings to the table is that she knows how to work on a bipartisan basis, and if we do immigration reform that endures, it’s going to have to be bipartisan
The good news in all of this is that it is unlikely that Flake's endorsement of Harris is going to be anything other than irrelevant.