ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona lawyer, Regents member floats Senate run to unseat Sen. Jeff Flake

Oct 6, 2017, 5:35 PM

FILE - In this July 19, 2017 photo, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. walks to his seat as he attends a lunc...

FILE - In this July 19, 2017 photo, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. walks to his seat as he attends a luncheon with other GOP Senators and President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake is already facing a contentious re-election bid in 2018, with challengers in both the primary and general election, but another Arizona heavyweight said he may throw his hat into the ring.

According to the New York Times, Jay Heiler, an Arizona lawyer who is currently serving on the state’s Board of Regents, said in an interview that he is considering a Senate run in 2018, in an effort to unseat Flake.

Jay Heiler (Photo: Arizona Board of Regents)

Heiler is a close ally of former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who was an early supporter of President Donald Trump. Heiler said the state should have a senator who fully supports Trump.

“The president’s agenda is one which I wholeheartedly endorse. I have not seen the president advance anything which I don’t think is in the best interest of the country,” he said.

Flake has repeatedly taken aim at Trump in the past, and the pair have engaged in lively arguments online for months. In August, Trump hit the senator in a tweet, calling Flake “toxic” and encouraging a rival for his seat.

In response, Flake said he had better things to do than pay attention to Trump’s criticisms, adding that “it is what it is and we’ve got a lot of support around the state and we’ve got a good campaign. It’ll take care of itself.”

Even though Flake brought in $1.1 million in the third quarter of this year, bringing his campaign funds to $3.4 million, he is expected to face a a tough primary challenge from former State Sen. Kelli Ward.

Polls released in August showed that Flake trailing Ward by 14 points in next year’s primary, while a Public Policy Polling survey showed 62 percent of Arizonans said they disapprove of the work Flake has done.

Trump appeared to increase the effort to unseat Flake after reportedly meeting with two of the junior senator’s prospective primary opponents, state Treasurer Jeff DeWit and Robert Graham, former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, in August.

Democratic Party could target Arizona as a ‘winnable’ state

But Flake is not just facing a tough battle from Republicans: U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced her run for Senate in September, making her the biggest name to enter the race for Democrats so far.

The Democratic Party is reportedly considering a strategy to flip the Senate race on its head, according to Politico. The strategy includes “elevating” the Republican party’s “most extreme option” in each race, which would ease the path of victory in Republican-leaning states.

The party is reportedly exploring Arizona, which they believe can be winnable after Ward said McCain should vacate his seat “as quickly as possible” after he was diagnosed with brain cancer in July.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

(Photo by John Smith/VIEWpress)...

SuElen Rivera

Arizona Gov. Hobbs vetoes bill that sought to ban photo radar on state roads

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a Republican bill last week that sought to ban the use of photo enforcement systems on Valley roads.

20 hours ago

A new Census report says Pinal County added 6,347 new housing units from 2021 to 2022, a 3.5% growt...

Jasmine Kabiri/Cronkite News

Room to boom: Pinal County housing grew at fastest rate in state

It’s unclear which came first in Pinal County, the houses or the people filling them. What is clear is that both continue growing at some of the fastest rates in the state and, in some instances, the nation.

20 hours ago

...

Brandon Gray

Glendale police looking for vehicle involved in fatal crash

Glendale police are looking for a vehicle involved in a crash that left one teen dead and three others injured Thursday at 53rd and Grand avenues. 

20 hours ago

File photo of construction on a home with downtown Phoenix, Arizona, in the background. Phoenix has...

Associated Press

Phoenix becomes largest US city to successfully challenge 2020 census numbers

Phoenix has become the largest U.S. city to successfully challenge its population count from the 2020 census.

20 hours ago

Arizona State Route 87 was closed northeast of metro Phoenix on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, because of a...

KTAR.com

Brush fire closes portion of State Route 87 northeast of metro Phoenix

State Route 87 was closed northeast of metro Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon because of a brush fire, authorities said.

20 hours ago

Tazbah Spruhan of Window Rock, Arizona, reacts after misspelling "Groenendael" during a preliminary...

KTAR.com

2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee starts with 3 Arizona students

Three Arizona middle school students, including one from the Valley, qualified to compete in this week's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

20 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

SANDERSON FORD

Thank you to Al McCoy for 51 years as voice of the Phoenix Suns

Sanderson Ford wants to share its thanks to Al McCoy for the impact he made in the Valley for more than a half-decade.

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

Arizona lawyer, Regents member floats Senate run to unseat Sen. Jeff Flake