GOP’s Flake: ‘Populism is not a governing philosophy’

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) slammed populism as a “governing philosophy” Thursday, further distancing himself from President Trump and his politics.

In an interview with Politico, Flake, one of Trump’s most ardent GOP critics, warned that the president and his allies’ populist politics were unlikely to last within the Republican Party. Flake predicted that the party would return to the platform that it has been associated with in recent decades.

“I’m a lifelong Republican. I’m concerned about where the party is,” he told Politico. “Because it can’t — populism is not a governing philosophy.”

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“I do think that the party will come back to more traditional limited government, economic freedom, free trade, pro-immigration, strong American leadership,” he added.

Flake is considered among the most vulnerable GOP senators facing reelection in 2018. Former Arizona state Sen. Kelli Ward, who is running against Flake in the GOP primary, has closely aligned herself with Trump. 

But Flake, unlike many other Republicans facing reelection next year, has not spared his criticism of the president. In his recent book, “Conscience of a Conservative,” the first-term Arizona senator let loose on Trump, arguing that the GOP should have done more to push back against the real estate mogul.

Trump has hit back against Flake while praising Ward. In a tweet in August, the president accused Flake of being a “toxic” presence in the Senate and said he was “weak” on border security and crime. 

“Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Ward has already garnered the endorsement of former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, who was widely seen as an influential nationalist presence in the Trump administration.

Flake’s comments came three days after fellow Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) denounced “spurious nationalism” in a speech that never directly mentioned Trump but was a clear swipe at the president. Flake told Politico that nationalist sentiment went beyond Trump, but he said that the president had “pushed it forward.”

“It’s not just the president. This has been building for a while,” Flake said. “The president has certainly taken advantage of the sentiment and has pushed it forward.”