Jeff Flake
Jeffry Lane "Jeff" Flake (born December 31, 1962) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Arizona. He served as a U.S. Representative for Arizona from 2001–2013, representing Arizona's 6th congressional district (initially Arizona's 1st congressional district). He is a member of the Republican Party. Flake was the 2012 Republican nominee to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate. He defeated Democrat Richard Carmona in the general election on November 6, 2012. In 2013, the National Taxpayers Union gave Flake the Taxpayers’ Friend Award. The Union keeps a scorecard on Members of Congress, rating Members on certain votes. Flake’s score was the highest of anyone in Congress for 2013. Upon receiving the award, Flake referred to himself as “the biggest cheapskate in the Senate.” Flake grew up on an Arizona ranch and worked alongside migrant workers. Years later, when he entered public office, he made immigration reform a top priority. When he served in the House, he sponsored a bill that became the model for President George W. Bush's immigration reform proposal. When Flake became a U.S. senator in 2013, he became a member of the eight senators from both political parties working to change the immigration system. The group's bill passed the Senate by a veto-proof margin, but was not acted upon in the House. When President Obama announced he would use his executive authority in November 2014 to waive deportation for some children of illegal immigrants, Flake suggested that Congress should actually pass an immigration reform bill as a response, instead of responding with hostilities such as shutting down the government. Recently, Flake has warned his party of the consequences of opposition to rational immigration reform.