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Sen. Jeff Flake weathers brutal, 2 1/2-hour Mesa town hall

• azcentral.com

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake faced angry constituents who questioned him on health-care reform, the proposed border wall and other issues at a town hall in Mesa on April 13, 2017.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake was blistered Thursday during a hostile, 2-1/2-hour town-hall meeting in which he was battered with questions about his support of President Donald Trump's nominees and agenda, his opposition to the Affordable Care Act and a host of other issues ranging from climate change to women's health.

Flake is a first-term Arizona Republican who is up for re-election next year and could have difficult races in both the GOP primary and the general election. He tried to keep a smile as he got hit with question after question framed from the liberal perspective. By the end of the night, little if any common ground was reached.

Flake, who criticized Trump during the 2016 presidential race and never endorsed or even voted for him, argued that he is his own man and that he will oppose or support Trump as he feels appropriate. So far this year, Flake has been pretty supportive.

He also pointed out how he worked with former President Barack Obama on thawing U.S. relations with Cuba and has been instrumental in trying to enact bipartisan immigration reform.

On other issues, Flake, a libertarian-leaning fiscal conservative, said he and the audience at the Mesa Convention Center simply would have to agree to disagree.

The crowd's fury never subsided and many if not most in attendance left unsatisfied with Flake and his answers.

1 Comments in Response to

Comment by Charlie Patton
Entered on:

So then, Republican congressman travels to the darkest heart of liberalism in Arizona, and gets clobbered. And dog bites man. If he didn't know enough to put on his vest and his cup before walking in, he's too stupid to re-elect.



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