[CBSNEWS] Sen. Jeff Flake...Republican junior senator from Arizona, elected in 2012. Prior to that he was a U.S. Representative for twelve years...
abruptly announced Tuesday he won't run for re-election after all in the 2018 midterm elections and will leave the Senate when his term ends in January 2019. He also delivered a blistering rebuke of President Trump's behavior.
The Arizona Republican announced on the Senate floor that he could "better serve my country and conscience" by dropping his re-election bid, "freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth," he said.
Flake issued a thinly-veiled take-down of President Trump, criticizing the "personal attacks," the "threats against principles, freedom and institutions" and "flagrant disregard for truth and decency." He argued that recklessness, outrageous and unhinged behavior have been excused as "telling it like it is, but he warned that when such behavior "emanates from the top of government," he said it's something else.
"It is dangerous to our democracy," Flake said. "Why didn't you speak up? What are we going to say?" he asked rhetorically. "Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough."
