Trump's 'perfect storm' could cause 'great migration' of Republicans: Ex-GOP Senator

A former GOP senator predicted that a "great migration" will begin where Republicans start to move away from supporting Trump.

"This is kind of a perfect storm," former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said during a Thursday appearance on Meet the Press NOW. "It may be that you can point to it and say, 'This is when the great migration begins.'"

The "perfect storm" that Flake sees is anger with Trump endorsing the primary opponents to respected GOP senators and disgust within the Republican Party with the $1.8 billion "slush fund" that critics fear will fund January 6 rioters.

Trump's support for the primary opponent of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) "angered so many Senate Republicans," Flake said. "That was bad enough because Bill Cassidy is a serious, good senator, well-liked."

Coming out against Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) "means Republicans are going to have to spend tons and tons of time trying to defend that seat," Flake explained. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running against Cornyn in next week's primary, is "a very, very compromised candidate," Flake added.

"And then, some of these things Republicans simply cannot defend," Flake went on. "This slush fund for the president's political allies, that is just not going to fly, and Republicans are rightly running away quickly from that."

Flake pointed out that filing deadlines for Republican primaries across the country are passing. He expects that will eliminate "the fear that the president can target you," Flake said.

"You're going to see a lot happen in the Senate and in the House as members say, 'hey, we don't have to worry about the primaries anymore.'"