Republican Sen. Jeff Flake told the National Press Club on Thursday that his party "might not deserve to lead."
To be specific, he said, "If we are going to cloister ourselves in the alternative truth of an erratic leader, if we are going to refuse to live in a world that everyone else lives in ... then my party might not deserve to lead," referring to President Donald Trump as the erratic leader.
Flake frequently speaks out against Trump. The senator isn't planning to run for re-election, arguably allowing him to voice negative opinions about the president more freely.
But it seems he might change his mind if the leader were different. When asked at the Press Club if he would run for president in 2020, he replied:
"I'm not running for re-election in the Senate. Running for president is not in my plans, but I have not ruled anything out. I do think that there should be a conservative challenge. I think that for no other reason, Republicans want to be reminded, I think, of what conservatism really means."
On Wednesday, he said something similar:
"I do think and I do hope that a Republican will challenge the president."
And last week, Flake said someone who "espouses" his views should take on Trump in 2020.
