Jeff Flake: ‘I’ll Take the Globalist Moniker, Thank You’

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) proudly wants to be called a “globalist.”

Flake, who is up for reelection in 2018 and is vulnerable to a primary challenge, reportedly “embraces” that label in his new book, which bashes President Donald Trump. It also reportedly argues that the “nationalist” and “populist” America-first policies that got Trump elected in a historic win for the ages and brought millions of new voters into the Republican Party do not represent the GOP’s future.

“Seemingly overnight, the word globalist became a grave insult among people in my party who also call themselves ‘conservative,'” he reportedly writes in his new book, according to the Arizona Republic. “… In this country, we are less than 5 percent of the world’s population. We are 20 percent of the world’s economic output. And if we don’t trade, we don’t grow. Given the alternatives, I’ll take the globalist moniker, thank you.”

While promoting his book to the media elites, Flake has blasted pro-Trump Republicans for being “xenophobic” and their “nativism.” On CNN on Tuesday, he again criticized Republicans for embracing the “unfamiliar banner” of “populism” and combating illegal immigration. He also spoke about the purported “xenophobia” of Trump’s voters.

Flake then embraced his involvement in the Gang of Eight’s failed attempt to pass massive comprehensive amnesty legislation that would have been detrimental to American workers and said another such effort is needed in Congress.