Dan Nowicki

The Republic | azcentral.com

Former President George W. Bush will headline a Valley fundraising dinner for Sen. Jeff Flake next month as the Arizona Republican's 2018 re-election campaign revs up.

Bush, the two-term Republican who served from 2001 to 2009, is the attraction for an April 11 dinner event at the Paradise Valley home of former Intel Corp. chairman and chief executive Craig Barrett and his wife, Barbara Barrett, who Bush in 2008 nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Finland.

Bush's guest appearance could give Flake a shot of momentum as he comes under increased pressure from the right and left. During last year's campaign, Flake emerged as one of now-President Donald Trump's most persistent GOP critics and ultimately did not endorse nor vote for Trump.

This cycle, Trump may be inclined to pay Flake back by supporting a Republican primary challenger against him. Arizona State Treasurer Jeff DeWit, a Trump ally, is mentioned as a possible candidate; former state Sen. Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City has already said she's running in Flake's primary.

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If Flake wins renomination in the primary, he could have a fight in the general election. National Democrats view Flake and Dean Heller of Nevada as the two most-vulnerable Republicans senators facing re-election next year.

"We're thrilled to have the president help kick off the campaign," said Steve Voeller, Flake's former Senate chief of staff and a longtime adviser. "This is the first big event, and to have him be able to do it, we couldn't be more pleased."

Nowicki is The Republic's national political reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @dannowicki and on his official Facebook page.