Former Sen. Jeff Flake argued that President Trump losing reelection would be better for the country and the Republican Party than if he wins.
The Arizona Republican, who publicly feuded with the president during their overlapping time in office, explained his belief that a “sound defeat” of Trump would “no doubt” be more beneficial to the United States, the GOP, and “for conservativism” in the “long term” in a Washington Post interview published Tuesday.
“This won’t be the first time I’ve voted for a Democrat — though not for president [before]. Last time I voted for a third-party candidate. But I will not vote for Donald Trump,” he explained. “But, listen, we have a good system. The pendulum swings when one party takes it too far. We’ll be ourselves again. So it’s not a pox on all your houses. I’m not trying to burn the place down or anything else. I think we’ll be back.”
The former senator-turned-CBS News contributor added that he believes the president’s reign over the party will not last a long time after he’s out of office.
“I don’t know anyone who thinks that this is the future of the party,” Flake said. “This is a demographic cul-de-sac we’re in, if nothing else. Anger and resentment only go so far; you have to have a governing philosophy. I don’t know of any of my colleagues who really believe this is it.”
He also explained that he’s been “puzzled” by some of the trade-offs his GOP colleagues have agreed to in order to justify supporting the president.
