Politics versus party lines

One of the most unique voices in modern American politics takes the stage in downtown San Diego this month as a guest speaker at UC San Diego Park & Market.

Jeff Flake, former U.S. Senator for Arizona (2013-19), was both a devoutly conservative Republican and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, even though he overwhelmingly voted with Trump’s positions.

When Flake announced he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2018, his speech was described in The Atlantic as a “thunderous indictment of his party, his president and his country’s political culture.”

Though not a firebrand, Flake was generally held in esteem for conscientiously voting with personal integrity. He often lambasted pork barrel earmarks in bills. Unfortunately for anyone who longs for the ideal of bipartisanship, Flake’s approval ratings while in office were abysmal.

He went on to become the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and is currently director of the Institute of Politics at Arizona State University.

His new book is called “Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle.” That topic will be the focus of his presentation at UC San Diego Park & Market as part of the Helen Edison Lecture Series.

The speech takes place on Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. Entrance is free, but space is limited at the building’s Guggenheim Theater. Registration is recommended.

Fun fact: Flake was born in Snowflake, Arizona. The town is co-named after Mormon pioneers Erastus Snow and Jeff’s great-great grandfather, William Jordan Flake.

Sidebar: Our Best of Uptown/Downtown list is live! Congratulations to all of our winners. Thanks to you, our readers, for voting.