Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) got into a Twitter spat with President Donald Trump Tuesday night after the president claimed Flake had his Senate endorsement rejected.
Trump tweeted that Flake, who is not seeking reelection and has been an outspoken critic of the president, had endorsed Martha McSally, the Arizona Republican Congresswoman running to replace him, and that McSally had rejected his endorsement.
McSally won her party's nomination for U.S. Senate Tuesday night.
"Martha McSally, running in the Arizona Primary for U.S. Senate," Trump said, "was endorsed by rejected Senator Jeff Flake....and turned it down - a first!"
Martha McSally, running in the Arizona Primary for U.S. Senate, was endorsed by rejected Senator Jeff Flake....and… https://t.co/9WZz80Z9YU— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1535517894.0
According to Flake, however, this is completely untrue. Flake responded with a tweet of his own.
"Sorry, @realDonaldTrump. I made no endorsement in this race," Flake tweeted. "I think the last endorsement I made was in the Alabama race."
The comments were posted along with a picture of a check Flake wrote to "Doug Jones for U.S. Senate" -- a Democrat -- with the memo field filled out: "country over party."
Sorry, @realDonaldTrump. I made no endorsement in this race. I think the last endorsement I made was in the Alabama… https://t.co/DjYpSNouSs— Jeff Flake (@Jeff Flake) 1535522347.0
The shade of it all.
@JeffFlake @Anna_LaPierre @realDonaldTrump This is some good shade.— Andrew (@Andrew) 1535539267.0
Twitter users urged Flake to secure his legacy by voting against confirming Brett Kavanaugh, whom Trump tapped in June to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.
@JeffFlake @higgins_donna @realDonaldTrump Will you please vote No on confirming Kavanaugh.— LogicInterrupted (@LogicInterrupted) 1535529273.0
@JeffFlake @realDonaldTrump Vote NO on Kavanaugh so we can have a more balanced court...👎— C. Hart (@C. Hart) 1535522832.0
@JeffFlake @realDonaldTrump Please vote NO to Kavanaugh!— Smocking gun (@Smocking gun) 1535536458.0
@JeffFlake @realDonaldTrump Dear @JeffFlake, Can you follow up your 100 bucks with a meaningful “check” on the Pre… https://t.co/Mi9VSLP3ez— Matthew Bailey (@Matthew Bailey) 1535541599.0
@JeffFlake @realDonaldTrump Leave a lasting legacy, Senator Flake. Please vote no on Kavanaugh.— Experimental Knitter (@Experimental Knitter) 1535538991.0
Flake had originally posted the image of the check ahead of last year's special Senate election in Alabama:
Country over Party https://t.co/JZMTaEYdxQ— Jeff Flake (@Jeff Flake) 1512509928.0
Jones, a Democrat, defeated Republican Roy Moore, filling the seat left vacant by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Moore was a controversial candidate, having been accused of having inappropriate relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30's.
Flake's reply is a swipe at Trump, who endorsed Moore's bid for the Senate. In fact, Trump threw his weight behind Moore eight times on Twitter between September and December 2017, when the special election was held. One post was deleted, however, in violation of the Presidential Records Act.
Trump endorsed Moore after the 71-year-old won the G.O.P. primary last September.
Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1506478635.0
Trump wrote that Moore "sounds like a really great guy." Moore, who served as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, was removed from office - twice. The first time was in 2003 for refusing to obey a court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building. Moore was subsequently reelected and then suspended in 2016 after he encouraged probate judges to refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1506509813.0
When Moore lost to Jones in December's special election, Trump tried to walk back his endorsement, claiming "the deck was stacked against" Moore.
The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will n… https://t.co/DcgJPmLTXy— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1513164124.0
On Tuesday, another abysmal Senate candidate Trump endorsed - former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio - failed to secure the Republican nomination. Trump also pardoned Arpaio last year after Arpaio was convicted of contempt of court.
@realDonaldTrump So. Much. Winning. https://t.co/8ey0yOrn4P— AngelaBlueWave 🌊 (@AngelaBlueWave 🌊) 1535537415.0
@realDonaldTrump You endorsed one other candidate and pardoned the third, but now act as if you had something to do… https://t.co/4sRx17ngMj— Dana DelSignore (@Dana DelSignore) 1535519214.0
Twitter mercilessly tore into Trump for not having many successes.
Trump is taking credit for President Barack Obama's economy.
@Sarah_SKG_1983 @realDonaldTrump Trump riding Obama's success' even now. And the truth shall set you free!— 1 - of - 13,000,000 (@1 - of - 13,000,000) 1535544436.0
Trump loves to take credit for "wins" and abdicate accountability for losses.
@honestpotus16 @realDonaldTrump #TrumpDoctrine: No matter what's happening, Declare Victory and move on, before any… https://t.co/8G9KrK66uu— Pierre LaFontaine (@Pierre LaFontaine) 1535546464.0
Wow.