By Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Oct. 24, 2017
Oct. 24, 2017
Senator Jeff Flake, of Arizona, announced that he will not be running for re-election in the 2018 midterms during a notable floor speech. He attributes this to disapproval of Trump, and everything the Republican party has come to stand for. Flake emphasized disdain over "the flagrant disregard for truth and decency" that he has observed in his time as Senator under Trump. With a rocky relationship with Trump and often contradicting beliefs, it is not surprising that these disagreements over policies regarding immigration and isolationism ultimately discouraged Flake from running again. In his speech, Flake also acknowledged that "sustained incumbency is certainly not the point of seeking office, and there are times when we must risk our careers in favor of our principles". After studying the benefits that incumbents are subject to, including access to campaign finance, it is highly unusual that Flake would announce this so early. While many other politicians would choose to remain in office, Flake's lack of support within his party indicates he would not win the 2018 election, so he did not bother trying. Furthermore, his announcement indicates honor that is rarely found within politics. Flake strongly opposes the actions of his party, and stepping back from office reflects that sentiment. Hopefully, Flake's actions inspire others who disagree with the morals of what they currently represent, so they also stand up for what is right.
Questions
1. What does Flake's early announcement say about the 2018 election?
2. Do you think this will impact the public's perception of Trump significantly?
3. Do you think Flake made the right decision?
1. Flake's early announcement can say two things. A) he is a man of morals and by announcing the resignation early he is standing by them or B) he sees absolutely no chance in winning and resigns now to make people think that he is a morally correct person. In either case his announcement suggests that the 2018 election is quite controversial because of Trump's beliefs. It could also mean that only those who agree with Trump has a chance of being elected/reelected which could reinforce the president's extreme beliefs, dividing the country further.
ReplyDeleteFlake’s early announcement evokes his principles and expectations of the party. Because he risked his career, it shows that he is willing to stand his beliefs. Thus, his early announcement elicit his democratic ideals because of Trump’s behavior influencing as a threat against freedoms and institutions. This circumstance will impact the public’s perception of Trump as people leave office because of their personal agenda towards him. I believe Flake should have stayed in office and his decision would not have affected his work ethics. He could have stated his own personal beliefs and fought for his own perception that Trump is an example of degrading politics due to his undignified behavior.
ReplyDeleteI think that Flake's announcement is significant because it shows that even Republicans are having doubts about Trump as president. This will have a major effect on the 2018 elections for a couple reasons. 1) With Flake leaving his seat, there is now a shot for a Democrat to slide in a take it 2) If Flake is resigning because of Trump, the GOP has some serious internal problems. And if they're fighting themselves, they won't be able to present a strong campaign for anyone, leaving Congress open for the Democrats taking.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that one of the driving factors for Flake's announcement is because he has no chance of wining, but I think that his message is still legitimate. The Republican party has lost so much of its reliability and credibility, that even Republican incumbents are jumping ship. This hopefully means that the 2018 election will have a lot more democratic seats in congress, which is likely especially based on this most recent election, and the lack of faith the Republicans have in their party now.
ReplyDeleteFlakes announcement states he will not run for re-election and that he does not support his party anymore saying the 2018 election is difficult and impacting on the public due to Trumps actions/beliefs. I believe Flakes actions were trying to make a statement for his beliefs, which was successful but he could also done this in different ways with out having to leave office.
ReplyDeleteI think that Flake's speech really shows that the GOP is having a shift in beliefs, moving more towards the right. However, Flake isn't the only Congressmen so far to come out publicly and disapprove Trump. Running Trump as a candidate really raised some eyebrows for moderate Republicans. Today, we are seeing a lot less moderate Republicans such as Mitt Romney and seeing more extreme conservative Republicans such as Roy Moore. We truly do live in two separate worlds right now.
ReplyDelete1) I think that Flake's early announcement foreshadows growing partisanship that will be present in the 2018 election. Because he will not be running for another term, he does not need to appease voters or party members and has already spoke out against Trump. It shows the public the growing tensions in the Republican party and possible future divides.
ReplyDeleteI think Flake is very honorable for stepping aside when he knows that the government he is working for clashes with his personal principles. It will be interesting to see what he does next with his career and whether it is in opposition of the government. However, it is arguable that he could have made more changes if he had run for Congress again and tried to reform it.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think Flake made the right decision, I believe his decision to step away from office will not have an impact in Congress. All of the public opposers of Trump (like McCain) will not be running for re-election, proving that Trump's influence will still be present. Flake's actions ultimately show the growing intensity of party polarization, not only in Congress but in the Republican party.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason for Flake’s early announcement was the fact that he had no chance of winning. This shows the growing polarization in Congress and how much of an impact Trump has made in office. He is getting people from his own party to turn against him and the beliefs of many Republicans. Although his announcement definitely has to do with his morals, I simply think he knew he had no chance of winning anymore.
ReplyDeleteIt shocking to see that the situation has gotten so bad to the point where members of Congress literally throw their arms up and say "I'm done", because of the president's influence. Get this- the senator was even from the president's party! This just shows how our government is increasingly becoming divided, and it is going to be challenging to predict the outcome of the 2018 election. More Democratic? We will see
ReplyDeleteIt's quite disappointing to see Jeff Flake not run for midterms in 2018 because he was apart of this "new" republican party that is less radical and to see him criticize his own party is sort of refreshing since no other republicans dare to do so.
ReplyDeleteI think Jeff Flake made a brave decision to stand up for his morals and beliefs. However, I think it was a lost opportunity to leave Congress. The reason why most people get into politics in the first place is to make a difference, change policies, and improve present-day society. He had this power and could have used this important position to push or rally other Senators who may also be disappointed in the presidency and current state of the government. Trump is not the most popular president even within his party, and I think Flake could have used this to his advantage and used his current position to promote and advocate for change.
ReplyDelete