OPINION:
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor and ex-presidential candidate, took to Twitter just recently to let loose on Sen. Jeff Flake — and oh how so, so true.
“Flake is a selfish narcissist who would stop one of the few things he actually could do for his country — confirm responsible judges,” Huckabee tweeted. “His hate of @realDonaldTrump exceeds his sense of duty.”
There’s more — but let’s enjoy this moment for a moment.
Flake, the guy who stepped away from his re-election dreams after realizing he didn’t have a chance in heck with the voters — and who then went on national television to sell his step-away as a decision based on the [false-premised] principle that he simply couldn’t work with the ghastly President Donald Trump so away he must go — has now come forward to oppose all of this White House’s judicial picks. Why?
Flake said he won’t vote for any of Trump’s nominations until the Senate votes on legislative protections for Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation.
On that, Flake’s joined by fellow senators — fellow Democratic senators — Chris Coons and Cory Booker. In other words: Flake, a Republican, would rather stand tall with Booker, of “I am Spartacus” anti-Brett Kavanaugh fame, than his own party.
Than his own conservative base.
Huckabee’s right; Flake, who penned a book dedicated, in part, to bashing Trump, has let his hatred of all-things-Trump cloud his conservatism. And that’s putting it nicely. Remember when Flake finally announced he’d support Kavanaugh and was cornered by crazy tearful activists in an elevator?
Huckabee does. He finished his tweet: “Good riddance! Go hide in an elevator!”
Once upon a time, Flake used to be a rising star in the Republican Party — a favorite of Arizona conservatives, winning his congressional seat several times by wide margins and then his Senate seat with nearly 5 percentage points.
Then came this: “Who do you trust more on the issue of guns, John McCain or Jeff Flake? John McCain, 45%, Jeff Flake, 24%,” ran one Public Policy Polling question back in 2013.
Strike one.
And this: “Flake [was] part of the so-called ’Gang of Eight’ that introduced an immigration reform bill … that [had] its fair share of conservative critics,” ran one Atlantic story.
Strike two.
And then this: “Republican Senator Jeff Flake’s Candid Anti-Trump Book,” blared the New Yorker in 2017.
Strike three. A final straw.
Flake has oh-so-steadily and oh-so-smoothly moved from the camp of conservatism to the field of Republican-In-Name-Only — to the elitist side of politicking that the Trump base came out in full force to oppose. And boot.
Flake’s a casualty of his own anti-Trumpism, of his own arrogance and pride, of his own failure to stay a humble servant of the people.
Huckabee nails it; Flake won’t be missed.
Apparently, the senator’s going to get his revenge before he leaves, though.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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