Jeff Flake Takes Arizona Senate Seat

A bit of a win for the small-government set

Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, a Democrat, was unable to overcome Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, keeping the Senate seat from Arizona in the GOP column.

Carmona enjoyed a late surge in the historically Republican state as a moderate, and Latino, candidate, with the state showing signs of an emerging Democratic tilt.

But funding from Democrats nationally and a visit from former President Clinton were not enough to outpace Flake, a six-term congressman from Mesa who is  a conservative leader in the House. The Associated Press and CNN projected Flake the winner.