Apparently, Jeff Flake is Not A Conservative Republican. Good.
Local Conservative blogger Greg Patterson is already testing campaign messages for 2012 and the election to fill Jon Kyle's vacating Senate seat. Apparently Jeff Flake is RINO, and, gasp, a libertarian and not a Republican. Well, good. I will observe that Flake has had far more backbone on issues Republicans care about (e.g. spending) than most "true" Republicans in Congress have had.
As an aside, I could get all litmus-testy as well and be disappointed that Flake voted for the Patriot Act reauthorization. And I fear that Arizona politics will pull him further to the right on immigration. But Flake still strikes me as a far better choice in terms of the energy and passion he brings to key issues than some establishment Republican. He has stirred up far more trouble in the House than one might expect given his lack of seniority and plum committee assignments.
Matt:
But remember, freedom and limited government mean congress telling me who I may or may not hire to build my house and pick my vegeatables.
February 16, 2011, 10:14 amDrTorch:
I don't see how you give him a pass on the Patriot Act vote.
February 16, 2011, 10:31 amjhc:
If the choice ends up being Jeff Flake or Joe Arpaio (as Republican senate candidate), it'll be a no-brainer call for Mr. Flake. And his vote on the Patriot Act will seem like small potatoes at that point.
February 16, 2011, 11:00 amBill Brown:
Jeff Flake was executive director of the Goldwater Institute from 1992 to 2000. That cinches him pretty well in my book.
http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/expert/269
February 16, 2011, 11:15 amMesa Econoguy:
That's such a classic old-line Republican tactic: I'm more conservative than you, dammit!
Trouble is now, that line doesn't work, especially given the failure under W to restrain spending, THE greatest issue confronting this country. He vetoed his first bill well into his second term for Christ's sake.
Fiscal conservatives they are not.
Flake will win.
February 17, 2011, 5:21 pm