Donald Trump still not getting Jeff Flake’s vote, calls him weak
Sep 4, 2016, 5:06 PM | Updated: Sep 6, 2016, 11:18 am
(AP photos)
(AP photos)
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took to Twitter Sunday afternoon to criticize Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.
The Republican Party needs strong and committed leaders, not weak people such as @JeffFlake, if it is going to stop illegal immigration.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2016
The Great State of Arizona, where I just had a massive rally (amazing people), has a very weak and ineffective Senator, Jeff Flake. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2016
Trump’s tweets follow Flake’s appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper earlier in the day.
Flake has recently said as of now he won’t vote for either Trump or Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but did say there’s a chance of Clinton being the first Democrat to win Arizona since 1996.
Clinton responded on Twitter.
There's going to be no one left in Washington for Trump to work with who he hasn’t insulted. https://t.co/rW6ZWJTNoR
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 4, 2016
Flake’s comments from this weekend regarding Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson’s chances of spicing up the race in Arizona also could have played a factor.
“It could happen,” said GOP Sen. Jeff Flake regarding Johnson’s chances of impacting the race. “Donald Trump has managed to make this an interesting state in terms of presidential politics, and not in the way that Republicans have wanted.”
Johnson “is an easy out for some people in our party,” Flake told The Associated Press.
Four years ago, Libertarian candidates in Arizona drew enough votes away from Republicans that Democrats Ann Kirkpatrick and Kyrsten Sinema won election to the U.S. House.
Flake, who had endeared himself to many Libertarians while serving in the House, won his Senate race that year, too.
Trump is coming off a speech in Arizona Wednesday, in which the Republican nominee spoke about immigration. Trump’s 10-step plan included several factors, but primarily relies on identifying and quickly deporting anyone in the country illegally.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
