The Rise of Jeff Flake & The Second Coming of Barry Goldwater

by Thomas Grier

In Arizona the name Barry Goldwater is synonymous with conservatism. Without sounding overconfident, the election of Rep. Jeff Flake to the retiring seat of Senator Kyl will be a man who can finally credibly carry Goldwater’s mantle. If Flake is elected, Arizona will see the most conservative member elected to the Senate since the five-term Senator Goldwater retired in 1987.

One can argue that Barry Goldwater is partially responsible for the rise of conservatism within the Republican Party. In a book penned by Goldwater and published in 1960, which history is almost as interesting as its content, The Conscience of a Conservative brought about a movement that would redefine America and bring about the rise of Ronald Reagan.

The book has inspired thousands, including myself when I first started college. One of the more memorable and powerful lines in the book best encapsulates a conservative’s goal.

“I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution … or have failed their purpose … or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is ‘needed’ before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should be attacked for neglecting my constituents’ ‘interests,’ I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty, and in that cause I am doing the very best I can.”

Goldwater’s record of conservatism is better known and can be easily researched through the countless books that sing his praise. Flake’s record is well known in conservative circles across the country but might not be as well known throughout the state of Arizona outside his district.

It is fitting that Flake’s political rise began as Executive Director of the institute that bore Goldwater’s name. Prior to The Goldwater Institute, Flake was the Executive Director of the Foundation for Democracy in Namibia. These experiences molded Flake’s liberty mindset, setting him on the correct course to restore the principles of limited government.

When Flake ran for Congress as a “true conservative” many inside players shrugged, expecting the newly elected Congressman to continue the established path of spending and earmarks. Bucking the trend, Flake’s record is a testament to liberty and limited government. During a time where Flake’s brand of Republicanism was not popular within his own party, Flake fought for proposals that ultimately would shift the discussion “his way” but not before becoming battle tested and receiving political wounds along the way.

In 2007, Flake was removed from the House Judiciary Committee for “bad behavior.” It was widely understood that the removal was due to Flake’s outspoken opposition to earmarks, the process of directing taxpayer funds to specific legislator “pet” projects.

Flake is one of two of the most conservative members of the House, voting against the Medicare prescription-drug benefit, No Child Left Behind, Sarbanes-Oxley and the TARP bailout.

Flake’s crusade against wasteful spending and earmarks has earned him a 100% rating with the American Conservative Union. Flake has received praise from the Club for Growth, Citizens Against Government Waste and Freedom Works. In addition Flake has received the endorsements of conservative Senators Mike Lee (UT) and Pat Toomey (PA) along with Congressman Paul Ryan (WI).

In fact, Congressman Paul Ryan’s Youtube video endorsement has already been viewed more than 11,000 times.

Club for Growth President Chris Chocola said of Flake, “[b]ut what’s really impressive about Jeff is that he had the guts to strongly oppose the worst policies of the Bush Administration and of the previous Republican Congress, like earmarks, bailouts, and the prescription drug entitlement.  That’s the kind of courage in the fight for freedom and limited government we need in the U.S. Senate.”

Flake also has support from national conservative activists and pundits. Prominent conservative blogs such as RedState and Hotair have all intimated their jubilation over Flake’s run for the Senate.

“Flake is a non-Establishment conservative, a man who has spent more time fighting Republican spending than most of the Democrats in the House.  If the GOP needed a headliner for Tea Party conservatives in the 2012 Senate cycle in the same role that Marco Rubio filled in 2010, Flake would be perfect.” – Ed Morrissey Hotair

“He’ll be my first campaign contribution for the 2012 season.” – Erick Erickson RedState

Jeff Flake is the conservative real deal. Conservative Arizonans can be proud that they can finally vote for someone to represent them in the Goldwater mold. It is an exciting time to be an Arizona conservative.

Thomas Grier is a third-year law student at The Ohio State University. A graduate of Arizona State University, Grier writes on constitutional law, politics, and pro-growth policy.