Allen West, a transplanted one-term Florida congressman and right-wing provocateur, introduced his resignation on Friday as chairman of the Texas R
Allen West, a transplanted one-term Florida congressman and right-wing provocateur, introduced his resignation on Friday as chairman of the Texas Republican Social gathering, probably as a precursor to operating for statewide workplace.
Mr. West, a former Military officer who was compelled to retire after firing a handgun close to the pinnacle of a prisoner in Iraq, stated at a information convention in Whitehouse, Texas, that he was contemplating operating for workplace.
“Perhaps one thing congressional,” he steered.
He had served within the job for lower than a yr.
In that quick time, Mr. West — a Fox Information fixture who attended an occasion in Dallas final month at which Michael T. Flynn, the previous nationwide safety adviser to President Donald J. Trump, steered the USA might witness a army coup — has earned a fame for taking over Democrats and Republicans with equal aplomb.
His spats with the state’s governor, Greg Abbott, over the dealing with of the coronavirus pandemic and with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick over gun laws have led to hypothesis that he’ll mount a Trumpian problem to certainly one of them within the Republican primaries subsequent March.
Texas, a bedrock purple state quickly turning into a battleground, is the positioning of an intraparty struggle between the conservative institution and media-savvy firebrands like Mr. West, who suppose Mr. Abbott and Mr. Patrick are usually not going far sufficient to the fitting.
On Friday, Mr. West, 60, instructed a conservative Texas radio station that he was contemplating a problem to Mr. Abbott however was praying on the matter earlier than making up his thoughts, in accordance with The Dallas Morning Information.
A spokesman for the governor’s marketing campaign stated that Mr. Abbott, who was elected comfortably in 2014 and 2018, was effectively positioned to win a 3rd time period irrespective of who ran towards him. Don Huffines, a Republican former state senator from Dallas, has already stated that he’ll problem Mr. Abbott.
“It’s now clear that @AllenWest’s complete tenure as @TexasGOP chair was supposed to do solely what many suspected: Present him a platform for his political future, not a possibility to construct the occasion,” wrote Matt Mackowiak, a veteran Republican operative who leads the Republican Social gathering in Travis County, house to Austin. “What’s he operating for?”
Mr. West, who will stay on the occasion’s helm till his successor is chosen subsequent month, wrote that it had been “a definite honor to function Chairman of the Republican Social gathering of Texas,” posting a quick assertion on the state occasion web site to announce the top of his tenure.