Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style MORE (R-Ariz.), a frequent critic of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE, is getting an early GOP primary challenger ahead of his 2018 reelection bid.

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Ward, an unabashed supporter of Trump, added that listeners should send her potential nicknames for Flake over Twitter, noting she liked "Flake the Snake."

She noted that she's starting early because "regardless of the outcome of the presidential election, we are going to need people in Washington, D.C., who are willing to fight the establishment."

Ward was defeated handily by McCain, losing by roughly 12 percentage points in a late August primary. She argued during the Wednesday show that Flake would be easier to pick off in a midterm election.

"Sen. Flake might be semi-well liked, but he doesn't have the longevity of John McCain. He doesn't have the reach of John McCain. He doesn't have the war hero status of John McCain," she said.

Flake said Thursday he expected a challenger, adding "we'll be prepared." "Shots at a seat in the Senate don't come along very often, so we fully expect capable challengers next cycle, both in the primary and the general," he said in a statement. An Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll released in mid-September showed Flake as viewed favorably by nearly 35 percent of Arizona voters but viewed unfavorably by nearly 36 percent.

Former state Sen. Kelli Ward announced on her weekly radio show Thursday that she would challenge the Arizona senator, saying she is "going to take on the establishment once again."