Perhaps the Wall Street Journal editorial writers were not watching the Arizona Senatorial primary as closely as others, but they cite Rep. Jeff Flake's recent actions and statements as evidence of "Flake's Flip Out."
Their evidence? Two items: retreating from his Grover Norquist/Americans For Tax Reform no-tax pledge, and attacking Democratic nominee Richard Carmona's character with the Christine Beato allegations ad.
It notes that candidates usually (as of late) allow outside groups to run these types of character-impugning charges, and wonders whether Flake thinks it is "merely payback."
The conclusion hits hard, even as it tries to soften the blow with a bit of its more-customary praise: "As Paul Ryan noted in last week's vice-presidential debate, "If you don't have a good record to run on, paint your opponent as someone people should run from. Make a big election about small ideas." But Mr. Flake has both a solid record and big ideas to run on, so why isn't he?"
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