Allen West
| Allen Bernard West | |
 | |
Chairman of the
Texas Republican Party | |
| In office July 20, 2020 – July 11, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | James Dickey |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | former state Representative Matthew Daniel "Matt" Rinaldi |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Ron Klein |
| Succeeded by | Lois Frankel |
| Born | February 7, 1961 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Angela West |
| Children | Two children |
| Religion | Christian[1] |
Military Service
| |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1982–2004 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands | 20th Field Artillery 4th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Persian Gulf War Iraq War |
Allen Bernard West (born February 7, 1961, in Atlanta, Georgia) is a conservative former candidate for governor of Texas. He finished a distant second to incumbent Greg Abbott in the Republican primary held on March 1, 2022. The lengthy early voting period in Texas ran from February 14–25, 2002.[2] He is the former state chairman of the Texas GOP.[3][4] He is also a former United States Representative for Florida's 22nd congressional district. He previously has served in the United States Army as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Allen West's campaign motto was “Defending the Texas Republic.”[5] A Tea Party favorite, West announced on July 4, 2021, his candidacy for Texas governor in the 2022 midterm elections to challenge incumbent establishment Republican Governor Greg Abbott.[6] West's campaign began with a compelling video of him standing at an unfinished border wall in Texas.[7] Central to West's campaign was his conservative opposition to the Green New Deal. It was only after West released a video on May 23, 2021, for Abbott to complete the border wall that Abbott then moved on the issue.[8] In Texas there is a runoff election if no one receives more than 50 percent plus one vote, and the Republican runoffs often favor the more conservative candidate. The well-financed conservative former state Senator Don Huffines also ran on the issues of "finish the wall, secure our elections, and ban vaccine mandates."[9]
Personal life
West received his bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his master's degree from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, both in political science. He also holds a Master's of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College in political theory and military operations. In addition, West taught a year of high school in Broward County, Florida. He had the support of the Senate Conservatives Fund and the Tea Party Movement.
In his military career, he served in several combat zones: Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom (in which he was battalion commander for the Army's 4th Infantry Division), and Afghanistan, where he trained Afghan officers.
West is the President and CEO of The Hope Center, a non-profit in Plano, Texas, which operates a commercial office building complex providing reduced rent and office services to Christian non-profit organizations (including notable ones such as I Am Second and Joni and Friends).[10]
Political career
Liberal exploitation of early voting and questionable ballots caused the liberal media to insist just as the numbers had likely wrongfully stated that West lost his 2012 reelection bid to Democrat Patrick Murphy by a mere 0.7 percent.[11] West contested the election; however, he conceded on November 20, 2012, citing "high evidentiary hurdles."[12][13]
West left Florida after his congressional defeat and relocated to Texas. To win the state Republican chairmanship, he unseated the four-year incumbent, James Dickey of Austin, at the first of the party's two summer conventions in an early morning vote by state senatorial districts on July 20, 2020.[14] However, effective July 11, 2021, West resigned as state GOP chairman; it is believed he plans to run for political office in Texas, either for the 32nd Congressional District (currently held by Democrat Colin Allred; the district is a swing district which leans and is trending Democrat) or to run against Governor Greg Abbott (a move which many believe could virtually guarantee a Democrat flip of the governorship by the leftist candidate Beto O'Rourke. Meanwhile, Allred is opposing U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in Cruz's bid for a third term in 2024.
After West ran for governor, Abbott suddenly agreed to spend state funds to complete gaps in the border wall, as West had called upon him to do.[15]
West and his wife, Angela, have two children. In August 2021, Mrs. West was arrested for driving under the influence though she had not been drinking. This may be a political vendetta by Dallas police aimed at the conservative West, who is despised by the Democrats and the Moderate Republican establishment.[16]
Quotes
| “ | His parents instilled in him a very basic principle, love of God and Country.[17] | ” |
| “ | If Joseph Goebbels was around, he’d be very proud of the Democrat Party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine.[18] | ” |
External links
References
- ↑ Allen West
- ↑ https://www.myhighplains.com/news/your-local-election-hq/eligible-texas-voters-need-to-register-by-jan-31-to-cast-ballot-in-march-1-primary-election/
- ↑ Manjarres, Javier. Allen West wins Texas GOP Chairmanship, Texas Politics, July 20, 2020.
- ↑ Brandon Waltens Allen West Declares Victory in Race to Lead Texas GOP, Texas Scorecard, July 20, 2020.
- ↑ https://west4texas.com/
- ↑ Olafimihan Oshin (July 4, 2021). Allen West announces GOP primary challenge to Abbott in Texas. The Hill. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ↑ https://noqreport.com/2021/06/11/allen-west-called-on-texas-to-secure-its-border-build-the-wall-greg-abbott-finally-agrees/
- ↑ https://noqreport.com/2021/06/11/allen-west-called-on-texas-to-secure-its-border-build-the-wall-greg-abbott-finally-agrees/
- ↑ https://donhuffines.com/
- ↑ https://www.thehopecenter.org/management/allen-west
- ↑ Florida's 18th Congressional District elections, 2012
- ↑ http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/20/after-recount-west-concedes-in-tight-congressional-race/?hpt=hp_t2
- ↑ Sullivan, Sean. "Florida Rep. Allen West concedes", Washington Post, November 20, 2012. Retrieved on November 20, 2012.
- ↑ Patrick Svitek (July 20, 2020). Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman: West defeated Dickey, who was running for a second full term, early Monday morning at a tumultuous virtual state convention. The Texas Tribune.
- ↑ Andy Hogue (June 4, 2021). Allen West To Resign As Texas GOP Chairman: ‘Prayerfully Considering’ Run For Governor. Thehayride.com. Retrieved on June 11, 2021.
- ↑ J.D. Rucker (August 23, 2021). Political Setup? Dallas PD Releases Arrest Video of Clearly Unimpaired Angela West. 'The Liberty Daily. Retrieved on August 24, 2021.
- ↑ Lieutenant Colonel Allen B. West: A Short Biography
- ↑ https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/199821-rep-west-nazi-goebbels-would-be-very-proud-of-the-democpublisher=rat-party
