| | | | 5 things I think I know about Jeff Flake's retirement | | Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (R) announced Tuesday afternoon he wouldn't run for a second term in 2018, a bow to the inevitable given his disastrous poll numbers in the wake of his full-frontal assault on President Donald Trump and the Republican Party that accepted the interloper businessman with open arms.
I wrote some analysis about how Flake knew from the second he began writing his book, "The Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle," that this would be how things would end for him.
I've got a bunch of things I think I know that Flake's retirement tells us about the President and the party. Here are five (and make sure to read Flake's full speech announcing his retirement):
1. Crossing Donald Trump is a recipe for disaster within the GOP. A third of Republicans have issues with Trump. Two-thirds like/love. Throwing your lot in with that one-third is to court major electoral problems.
2. The governing wing of the GOP is disappearing. Flake joins Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) on the 2018 sidelines. In the House, Reps. Charlie Dent (Pennsylvania), Dave Trott (Michigan), Dave Reichert (Washington) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Florida) have all announced their plans to leave office next year with no other future gig in place. All these members are part of the GOP's governing wing -- those committed to trying to do things while in office rather than simply oppose. And they are running for the hills.
3. This will embolden Steve Bannon. Bigly. Trump's former chief political strategist will see Flake's retirement as a massive victory in his attempt to overthrow the GOP establishment. Boasted one Bannon ally to CNN's Kaitlin Collins: "[He's added] another scalp to his collection as another establishment domino falls." As Bannon travels the country trying to drum up candidates -- and money to support those candidates -- to run against the remaining GOP incumbents up for re-election in 2018, Flake will be held up as the ur-example of how the establishment is crumbling.
4. Flake won't be the last to say bye-bye. Members of Congress are copycats. They are highly aware of what is going on around them and how their colleagues are reacting to the political environment. The combined retirements of Flake and Corker -- as well as the ongoing Trumpian behavior of Trump -- will be the push some wavering members need to call it a career. Keep watch especially on members of the "governing wing" of the party and also those facing primary challenges from Trump-inspired candidates.
5. The GOP is at war with itself. No matter what sort of happy face people like House Speaker Paul Ryan or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put on Trump's tweets, his attacks on Republican incumbents and all the rest, make no mistake that the party is absolutely galloping toward a civil war. Whether that fight comes now, after the 2018 midterms or in the 2020 presidential primary process is somewhat beside the point. The point is: That fight is coming. | | | One Direction alum Niall Horan's new album is out and it's a nice fall listen. Listen on Spotify. | | Speaking of that Trump-Corker feud: The President had lunch on the Hill Tuesday with Republican lawmakers to spark momentum behind a crucial push for tax reform. From CNN's Ashley Killough:
PRE-MEETING:
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, went upstairs to the lunch from the basement with a bag of popcorn in his hands. A reporter asked him if the popcorn was for the Corker-Trump fight.
"Yes!" Tillis quipped, as a hoard of reporters surrounded him. Right behind him was Corker, who power-walked through the basement area with a massive scrum around him.
POST-MEETING:
Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, said the meeting was very positive and that Trump made a couple of jokes, including one with Rand Paul, but he couldn't remember what it was. While making a "Saturday Night Live" reference, Kennedy reiterated the meeting was "very positive."
"Nobody called anybody an ignorant slut, or anything, OK? It was very positive," Kennedy told reporters to laughter. He added that Trump was complimentary of Sens. Mitch McConnell and John McCain as well. Tweets were not discussed, multiple senators have said.
Read more about the lunch in CNN's full story here. | | 🚨POLL ALERT (AND A QUIZ!)🚨 | | | Photo courtesy: Screenshot/Pew Research Center website | | New findings from Pew Research Center, released Tuesday, show that the Republican and Democratic coalitions remain divided.
The findings are based on Pew's "new political typology, which sorts Americans into cohesive groups based on their values, attitudes and party affiliation, and provides a unique perspective on the nation's changing political landscape." It's based on surveys of over 5,000 adults, conducted over the summer.
The Research Center even has a quiz to see where you fit in. POINT READERS: Take the quiz and tell us where you land. Were you surprised by the result? Why or why not? Email us: Chris.cillizza@cnn.com and saba.hamedy@cnn.com. | | Vice News on Tuesday reported about Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's political ambitions. Apparently, he has "bigger plans than the White House." Vice reported that Zuckerberg's group is expected to spend $45 million on political causes. From Alex Thompson and Noah Kulwin's article:
"The world's fifth-richest man has publicly committed $45 million — most of it in the first 10 months of 2017 — into groups aligned with two political causes: ending the era of mass incarceration and fixing the affordable housing crisis in American cities. The sum, reported here for the first time, represents the first series of investments by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (with wife Priscilla Chan), or CZI, which is setting goals to extend far beyond the next election cycle." | | KID ROCK ON SENATE RUN: 'F--K NO' | | Kid Rock had a ... creative way of announcing that he is in fact not running for Senate. In an interview with Howard Stern during his radio show, the musician said: "F--- no, I'm not running for Senate. Are you f---ing kidding me? Like, who f---ing couldn't figure that out?"
Kid Rock first teased a run in a July 12 post showing a "Kid Rock for US Senate" yard sign. He also sold merch on his website. The musician is a supporter of President Donald Trump, and performed at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He visited the White House with Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent in April.
Read more in CNN reporter Hunter Schwarz's story here. And for more background, check out Saba's reporting from July. | | | Today was interesting, to say the least. Just one of the many moments featured in GIF form above. Anyway, just another reminder to tell people you know to subscribe to The Point! | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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