McCain, who was diagnosed recently with brain cancer, made a dramatic return to the Senate floor last month and gave a biting speech that chastised Republicans and Democrats alike for hyper-partisanship that has hobbled Congress.

Two days later, he was the deciding vote against the “skinny repeal” of portions of Obamacare. Arizona Republicans have not forgiven him for it.

“McCain needs to stop acting like a spoiled brat,” Tonopah resident Doug Larson said in a letter published by the Arizona Republic. “McCain chose to abandon his party, his president and all of the majority of voters in Arizona.”

Arizona political strategist Jason Rose said Flake’s “decision to keep poking the president in the eye … is confounding to his base.”

Rose said the first half of the year has been “dispiriting” to Republicans, who control both Congress and the White House for the first time in seven years but have been unable to make advances on health care, tax reform or government spending.

But at a time when party unity is needed most, Flake and McCain have doubled down on their contrarian comments.