Former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) officially endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as the Republican National Convention kicked off in North Carolina.
On Monday afternoon, Flake took to Twitter with a written statement and formal video announcement explaining why he has chosen to vote for Biden in the upcoming presidential election.
“The Democratic Party just nominated a Joe Biden-kinda-Democrat, whom I am confident will approach his constitutional role with the reverence and dignity it deserves,” Flake said. “I know that he will reach across the aisle, because that’s what he’s done his entire career.”
Flake later added, “Given what we have experienced over the past four years, it’s not enough just to register our disapproval of the president, we need to elect someone else in his place.”
As the former Arizona Republican lawmaker expressed his disdain for President Donald Trump, he also offered a message to his conservative friends.
“It is apparent by now the president’s behavior has not and will not change. Some of my conservative friends will say, ‘Yes, we don’t like his behavior but he governs as a conservative,’” Flake said.
He added, “Here, today, I will say to my fellow conservatives… indifference to the truth or to the careful stewardship of the institutions of American liberty is not conservative.”
See Flake’s remarks below:
It was the honor of my life to represent my state, Arizona – in the United States House and Senate for eighteen years as a conservative. I'm here to talk about the future – both of my party, but more importantly, the future of our country: https://t.co/pxBUFqj9jA
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) August 24, 2020
Flake also offered indirect criticism of the president’s tweeting adding, “Governing by tweet is not conservative, it’s not even governing.”
Flake also expressed the importance of “putting country over party” as he outlined the “noble history” of it.
Noting the similarities in their stance, Flake recalled former Sen. Barry Goldwater’s (R-Ariz.) decision to endorse Rep. Karan English (D-Ariz.) for the 1992 general election. Although the two lawmakers were part of two different political parties, Goldwater believed the decision was necessary at the time.
Flake said, “Goldwater hadn’t traded in his conservative credentials, far from it — he simply believed that in that case the conservative causer would be better served over the long term if the Democrat prevailed, and that’s what I believe today in this election.”
Flake closed with an official endorsement of Biden.
He said, “It is because of my conservatism, and because of my belief in the Constitution, and in the separation of power, and because I am gravely concerned about the conduct and behavior of our current president that I stand here today — proudly and wholeheartedly — to endorse Joe Biden to be our next president of the United States of America.”
