ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Sen. Jeff Flake, the retiring Arizonan Republican — the one who recently penned a book that contained sharp criticisms of President Donald Trump and the direction this commander-in-chief was taking the GOP — said he’d back a Democrat before voting for Roy Moore.

Sigh.

Now think about that. He could just suggest voters stay home, stay silent, vote for nobody — but nope. Flake, the guy who just took to “The View” to blame Trump for his own failing political career, said he’d instead go the extra mile and back the Democrat. His message? You should, too.

“If this choice is between Roy Moore and a Democrat, a Democrat,” Flake told reporters, while responding to a question about which candidate in Alabama he’d support, The Hill reported. “For sure.”

Again: Sigh.

Flake’s not just criticizing Moore, as his Republican colleagues have done. He’s not even suggesting, as his Republican colleagues have done, that Alabama voters instead choose Sen. Luther Strange, the guy Moore beat in the primary.

Rather, he’s going a step farther and declaring to the country that when it comes to Moore, the better pick is a Democrat. And that’s a bit astonishing — yes, even for Flake.

Flake recently went on “The View” to explain why he wasn’t seeking re-election. His response was a finger-point — at the White House, at Trump.

“[I’d run] if I could run the kind of race I’m used to running, if I could tell the truth,” he said.

But, he went on, “you can’t win a Republican primary right now if you’re willing to stand up and say, ‘This is not right. This is not normal.’ “

Oh boo. Hoo.

The reason Flake isn’t seeking re-election is that his poll numbers against primary challenger Kelli Ward weren’t anything to brag about — and the reason his poll numbers weren’t anything to brag about is that he’s been quite the busy bee of late taking political pot shots at Trump. Simply put: Flake revealed himself to be little more than a RINO, an establishment-first, people second type of politico. And that’s what voters voted out, when they voted in Trump.

Flake’s endorsement of a Democrat over a Republican — even when the Republican is facing scandal — is simply further evidence of his RINOism. He could’ve stayed quiet; he could’ve stuck with the party line of supporting Strange. Instead, he went all in for the Democrat. And that’s why Flake’s political star has fallen.

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