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'{{short description|American politician; retired United States Army officer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Allen West |image = Allen West, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg |office = Chairman of the [[Republican Party of Texas|Texas Republican Party]] |term_start = July 20, 2020 |term_end = |predecessor = [[James Dickey (Texas politician)|James Dickey]] |successor = |state1 = [[Florida]] |district1 = {{ushr|FL|22|22nd}} |term_start1 = January 3, 2011 |term_end1 = January 3, 2013 |predecessor1 = [[Ron Klein]] |successor1 = [[Lois Frankel]] |birth_name = Allen Bernard West |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|2|7}} |birth_place = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] |spouse = Angela Graham |residence = [[Garland, Texas]]<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/allen-west/allen-west-why-i-love-america</ref> |education = [[University of Tennessee]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Kansas State University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<br>[[United States Army Command and General Staff College]] ([[Masters of Military Art and Science|MMAS]]) |allegiance = {{flag|United States}} |branch = {{army|United States}} |serviceyears = 1982–2004 (U.S. Army)<br>2019–present (Texas State Guard) |rank = [[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|18px]] [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] |unit = [[Texas State Guard]] |commands = [[20th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|20th Field Artillery Regiment]] |battles = [[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]]<br>[[Iraq War]] |mawards = [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]<br>[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]]<br>[[Commendation Medal|Army Commendation Medal]]<br>[[Achievement Medal|Army Achievement Medal]] |website = {{url|theoldschoolpatriot.com|Official website}} }} '''Allen Bernard West''' (born February 7, 1961)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000807|title=WEST, Allen - Biographical Information|website=bioguide.congress.gov|access-date=2016-03-28}}</ref> is an American politician, retired U.S. Army [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]], and political commentator. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], West represented {{ushr|FL|22}} in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 2011 to 2013 and serves as [[Republican Party of Texas|Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas]] since 2020. West was deployed to [[Kuwait]] in 1991 and [[Iraq]] in 2003. In 2003, West was charged in an incident that involved the beating and [[simulated execution]] of an Iraqi policeman, with West firing a gun near the Iraqi man's head during an interrogation. After an [[Article 32 hearing]] was held, West accepted [[non-judicial punishment]], was fined $5,000, and allowed to retire as a [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel.]]<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/12/sprj.nirq.west.ruling/|title=CNN.com – U.S. officer fined for harsh interrogation tactics – Dec. 13, 2003|publisher=}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2020-07-20|title=Texas GOP ousts chairman, picks tea party firebrand Allen West to lead in 2020 elections|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/07/20/allen-west-takes-over-as-texas-gop-chairman-ahead-of-2020-elections/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Dallas News|language=en}}</ref> After leaving the military, West moved to Florida, where he taught at a high school for a year and worked for a defense contractor, part of this time spent in Afghanistan as a civilian adviser to the [[Afghan National Army]]. West entered politics in 2008 as the Republican nominee for Florida's 22nd congressional district [[United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2008#District 22|in 2008]], losing to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] incumbent [[Ron Klein]]. In a re-match [[United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2010#District 22|in 2010]], he won the seat, coinciding with significant Republican gains in the [[2010 United States House of Representatives elections|2010 midterm elections]]. West took office in January 2011 as the first African-American Republican member of Congress from Florida since [[Josiah T. Walls]] left office in 1876 near the end of [[Reconstruction Era of the United States|Reconstruction]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Minority candidates rack up poll history|date=November 3, 2010|url=http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/97219|work=London Morning Star|accessdate=November 3, 2010|quote=In Florida Allen West is the first black Republican to have been elected to Congress from Florida since the 1870s.|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105114402/http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/97219|archivedate=November 5, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In Congress, West was a high-profile member of the [[Tea Party Caucus]] and the [[Tea Party movement]].<ref name="MJones2012" /> [[Redistricting]] due to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] resulted in West switching to {{ushr|FL|18}} for the [[2012 United States House of Representatives elections|2012 House elections]]. He lost to Democratic nominee [[Patrick Murphy (Florida politician)|Patrick Murphy]] in what was the most expensive congressional House race of that cycle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/topraces.php?cycle=2012&display=currcands |title=Most Expensive Races |publisher=OpenSecrets.org |date=2013-04-16 |accessdate=2015-05-05}}</ref><ref name="Politico">{{cite web |title=Allen West concedes to Patrick Murphy|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84068.html|publisher=Politico|date=November 20, 2012 |accessdate=November 20, 2012}}</ref> West ran for the [[Party chair|chairmanship]] of the [[Republican Party of Texas]] in 2020. West became the new state chairman after he defeated the incumbent chairman, [[James Dickey (Texas politician)|James Dickey]], on July 20, 2020.<ref>Waltens, Brandon. [https://texasscorecard.com/state/allen-west-declares-victory-in-race-to-lead-texas-gop/ Allen West Declares Victory in Race to Lead Texas GOP], ''Texas Scorecard'', July 20, 2020.</ref> Widely described as a "firebrand conservative", West has been criticized for comments about Islam, descriptions of President Barack Obama as a "low-level Socialist agitator", and unfounded accusations that 81 Democratic members of Congress were members of the Communist Party.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Svitek|first=Patrick|date=2020-07-20|title=Former Florida congressman Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/20/allen-west-james-dickey-texas-gop-chairman/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=The Texas Tribune|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Man|first=Anthony|title=Controversial former Florida Congressman Allen West is new chairman of the Texas Republican Party|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-allen-west-republican-party-chairman-20200720-v6a5ws2emnao5gejbcgogclsp4-story.html|access-date=2020-07-21|website=sun-sentinel.com}}</ref> ==Early life and education== Allen Bernard West was born in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], to Elizabeth (Thomas; 1931–1994) West and Herman West, Sr. (1920–1986) on February&nbsp;7, 1961.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://allenbwest.com/2014/02/black-conservatives-afforded-safe-quarter/|title=Black conservatives afforded no safe quarter|work=Allen B. West – AllenBWest.com|access-date=November 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129051004/http://allenbwest.com/2014/02/black-conservatives-afforded-safe-quarter/|archive-date=November 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father and older brother were both career military officers; West's father served in [[World War II]], and his brother served in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]].<ref name="ManSunSentinel">{{cite news| first= Anthony| last= Man| title= Allen West: from controversy to Congress|date=December 4, 2010|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/12/allen_west_from_controversy_to_1.html|work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|accessdate=September 4, 2011}}</ref> His mother was a civilian employee of the [[United States Marine Corps]]. Although both of his parents were registered Democrats, West has remarked that they raised him "very conservatively".<ref name="MJones2012">Murphy, Tim. [https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/allen-west-tea-party-congressman "Allen West's Rise From the Florida Fever Swamps: A Short, Strange Trip into the Belly of the Anti-Shariah Beast"], ''Mother Jones'', July/August 2012.</ref> In the tenth grade, West joined the [[Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps]] program and entered the Army in 1983 when he graduated from the [[University of Tennessee]]. West is the third of four consecutive generations in his family to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.<ref name="ManSunSentinel" /> He later received a master's degree in political science from [[Kansas State University]]. He also earned a master of military arts and sciences degree from the U.S. Army [[Command and General Staff College|Command and General Staff Officer College]] in political theory and military history and operations.<ref name="WestBio">{{cite news|title=About Allen West |date=September 1, 2010 |url=http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/about-allen-west |work=Allen West for Congress |accessdate=September 4, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903183715/http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/about-allen-west |archivedate=September 3, 2011 }}</ref> ==Military career (1983–present)== ===Overview=== West entered active duty on November 1, 1983,<ref>[http://info.wwsg.com/blog/allen-west-ayaan-hirsi-ali-donna-brazile-and-russell-simmons-how-these-4-professional-speakers-embody-american-values Speakers Who Embody American Values] Retrieved March 6th, 2015. Written By Blair Hersch.</ref> at [[Fort Sill]], Oklahoma, where he completed the Field Artillery Officer's Basic Course (FACBOC). He then proceeded to [[Airborne forces|airborne training]] at [[Fort Benning]], Georgia, where he received his [[Parachutist Badge (United States)|Parachutist Badge]]. His first assignment was as an airborne infantry fire support officer and platoon leader, as well as battalion training officer for the 4th B.C.T.(Battalion Combat Team), [[325th Infantry Regiment (United States)|325th Airborne Infantry Regiment]], SETAF (Southern European Task Force) under the command of Lt. Col. Thomas R. Needham at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy. In 1987, West was promoted to [[Captain (United States)#U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps|captain]] and attended the Field Artillery Officer's Advanced Course.<ref name="americangreatness1">{{cite web|url=http://www.americangreatness.org/soldiers-stories/lieutenant-colonel-allen-west|title=Lieutenant Colonel Allen West profile at|work=American Greatness|publisher=AmericanGreatness.org|date=November 23, 2010|accessdate=March 1, 2011}}</ref> Following graduation, West took command of B Battery, [[6th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|6th Field Artillery Regiment]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]]. He served as the battalion task force fire support officer for 2d Battalion, [[16th Infantry Regiment (United States)|16th Infantry Regiment]]. As a member of the 1st Infantry Division he deployed for [[Operation Desert Shield (Gulf War)|Operation Desert Shield]] and Operation Desert Storm.<ref name="americangreatness1" /> After returning from Kuwait, West served as an [[Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps|Army ROTC]] instructor at Kansas State University from 1991 to 1994, becoming the U.S. Army ROTC Instructor of the Year in 1993.<ref>Association of the United States Army, [http://www.ausa.org/legislation/congressionalinfo/Documents/OAS%20112th%20Congress.pdf Once a Soldier... Always a Soldier: Soldiers in the 112th Congress] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021200011/http://www.ausa.org/legislation/congressionalinfo/Documents/OAS%20112th%20Congress.pdf |date=October 21, 2013 }}, 2011, page 120</ref> In January 1995 he was assigned to the [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Infantry Division]] Support Command as the assistant operations/combat plans officer. West was promoted to [[Major (United States)|major]] before he attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1997. Upon completion, he became the operations officer for the 18th Field Artillery Brigade before being assigned as executive officer of 1st Battalion, [[377th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)|377th Field Artillery Regiment]]. Afterward, West served as an Army exchange officer at the [[II Marine Expeditionary Force]] at [[Camp Lejeune]] from 1999 to 2002 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. The culminating assignment of West's career was his assumption of command of the [[2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery (United States)|2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery]] Regiment, [[4th Infantry Division (United States)|4th Infantry Division]] on June 6, 2002. During the Iraq War in 2003, he deployed with his battalion until he was relieved of command by the Army following a use-of-force incident concerning an Iraqi policeman. At his Article 32 hearing, West admitted violating Army rules by holding the policeman captive, punching him in the face, conducting a mock execution and by dry-firing an unloaded pistol held against the Iraqi's head. West was subsequently allowed to retire in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html |title=The Struggle for Iraq: How Colonel Risked His Career By Menacing Detainee and Lost |publisher=nytimes.com |date=May 27, 2004 |accessdate=May 21, 2013}}</ref> West's awards and decorations include the [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]; [[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] (two [[Oak leaf cluster|Oak Leaf Clusters]]); [[Army Commendation Medal]] (three Oak Leaf Clusters, one [[Valor device|Valor Device]]); [[Achievement Medal|Army Achievement Medal]] (one Oak Leaf Cluster); [[Valorous Unit Award]]; [[Air Assault Badge]]; and the Master Parachutist Badge.<ref name="WestBio" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausa.org/legislation/congressionalinfo/Documents/OAS%20112th%20Congress.pdf |title=Once a Soldier... Always a Soldier |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2011 |work=Legislative Agenda |publisher=Association of the United States Army |accessdate=28 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021200011/http://www.ausa.org/legislation/congressionalinfo/Documents/OAS%20112th%20Congress.pdf |archivedate=October 21, 2013 }}</ref> ===Iraq torture incident=== While serving in [[Taji, Iraq]], West received information from an intelligence specialist about a plot to ambush his unit. The alleged plot involved Yahya Jhodri Hamoodi, an [[Iraqi Police|Iraqi police]] officer. West had his men detain Hamoodi.<ref name="WestNYT" /> Soldiers testified that in the process of detaining Hamoodi, he appeared to reach for his weapon and needed to be subdued.<ref name="WestNYT" /> Hamoodi was beaten by four soldiers from the 2/20th Field Artillery Battalion on the head and body.<ref name="CNN.com">{{cite news|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2003-12-12/us/sprj.nirq.west.ruling_1_allen-west-iraqi-detainee-military-justice?_s=PM:US|title=U.S. Officer Fined for Harsh Interrogation Tactics|date=December 12, 2003| publisher= CNN| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071211102752/http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/12/sprj.nirq.west.ruling/index.html|archivedate=December 11, 2007}}</ref> West then fired his pistol near Hamoodi's head,<ref name="WestNYT" /> after which Hamoodi provided West with names and information, which Hamoodi later described as "meaningless information induced by fear and pain".<ref name="WestNYT" /> At least one of these suspects was arrested as a result, but no plans for attacks or weapons were found.<ref name="WestNYT" /> West said "At the time I had to base my decision on the intelligence I received. It's possible that I was wrong about Mr. Hamoodi."<ref name="WestNYT">{{cite news |title=The Struggle For Iraq: Interrogations; How Colonel Risked His Career By Menacing Detainee and Lost |first1=Deborah |last1=Sontag |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |first2=Ian |last2=Fisher |date=May 27, 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328000044/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html?scp=1&sq=How%20Colonel%20Risked%20His%20Career%20by%20Menacing%20Detainee%20and%20Lost&st=nyt |archivedate=March 28, 2013 |accessdate=October 16, 2010 |quote=In western Broward County, where Lt. Col. Allen B. West, 43, is preparing to start life over as a high school social studies teacher... |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> West was charged with violating Articles 128 (assault) and 134 (general article) of the [[Uniform Code of Military Justice]]. During a hearing held as part of an Article 32 investigation in November 2003, West stated, "I know the method I used was not right, but I wanted to take care of my soldiers."<ref name="CNN.com" /> The charges were ultimately referred to an Article 15 proceeding rather than court-martial, at which West was fined $5,000.<ref name="WestNYT" /> West accepted the judgment and retired with full benefits as a lieutenant colonel in the summer of 2004. Asked if he would act differently under similar circumstances, West testified, "If it's about the lives of my soldiers at stake, I'd go through hell with a gasoline can."<ref name="CNN.com" /> At his hearing, West said that there were no ambushes against American forces in Taji until he was relieved of his leadership post a month later.<ref name="CNN.com" /> After West's retirement he received more than 2,000 letters and e-mails offering him moral support.<ref name="WestNYT" /> A letter supporting West was signed by 95 members of the U.S. Congress and sent to the [[United States Secretary of the Army|Secretary of the Army]].<ref name="WestNYT" /> ===Texas State Guard=== On August 29, 2019, West was sworn into the [[Texas State Guard]]. The swear-in ceremony took place at [[Globe Life Park in Arlington|Globe Life Park]] in [[Arlington, Texas]] as part of the festivities of a [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] - [[Seattle Mariners]] baseball game. As per the policies of the [[Texas Military Department]], West retained the same rank of which he earned in Federal military service, [[lieutenant colonel]].<ref>West, Allen. [https://theoldschoolpatriot.com/about-allen-west/ Profile], The Old School Patriot.</ref><ref>Press Release. [https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-rangers-to-host-mariners-during-4-game-homestand-aug-29-sept-1 Pre-game Texas State Guard Swearing In Ceremony for Lt. Colonel (Ret) Allen West], [[Major League Baseball]], August 28, 2019.</ref> ==Post-military career (2004–2007)== After retiring from the Army, West and his family moved to Florida. He taught U.S. history and coached track and field at [[Deerfield Beach High School]] for a year.<ref name="WestNYT" /><ref name="fiery freshman">{{cite news|last= Man |first= Anthony| url= http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/allen-west-fiery-freshman-hopes-to-shake-up-washin/nLnMt/|title=Allen West: Fiery freshman hopes to shake up Washington|work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|date=December 5, 2010|accessdate=August 2, 2012}}</ref> He then spent two years working for [[Military Professional Resources Inc.]] (MPRI), a defense contractor. While with MPRI, West was positioned in [[Kandahar]], Afghanistan. In that capacity, he was an adviser to the [[Afghan National Army]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.maggiesnotebook.com/2010/04/allen-b-west-is-us-house-republican-candidate-for-floridas-22nd-district|title=Allen B West is US House Republican Candidate for Florida's 22nd District|publisher=Maggiesnotebook.com|date=April 3, 2010|accessdate=July 19, 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110723103745/http://www.maggiesnotebook.com/2010/04/allen-b-west-is-us-house-republican-candidate-for-floridas-22nd-district|archivedate=July 23, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> ==U.S. House of Representatives== ===Elections=== ;2008 {{See also|2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida#District 22}} In 2006, 25-year incumbent Republican [[E. Clay Shaw, Jr.]] was defeated by Democrat [[Ron Klein]] in Florida's 22nd Congressional District. Allen West entered politics in 2008 to regain the lost House seat, challenging freshman incumbent Klein. West received the Republican nomination without opposition. However, he lost to Klein by a margin of 9.4% of the votes. The official results were Klein with 169,041&nbsp;votes (54.7%), West with 140,104&nbsp;votes (45.3%), and [[write-in candidate]] [[Michael Prysner]] with 6&nbsp;votes. ;2010 {{See also|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida#District 22}} West ran in a rematch with Klein. He spoke at the [[Conservative Political Action Conference]] on February 20, 2010, and was endorsed by former Alaska Governor [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>{{cite news|first=George|last=Bennett|title=Sarah Palin promotes Allen West's challenge of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein|date=March 30, 2010|url=http://www.postonpolitics.com/2010/03/sarah-palin-promotes-allen-wests-challenge-of-democratic-us-rep-ron-klein|work=Palm Beach Post|accessdate=June 16, 2011|quote=On her Facebook page, former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is supporting Republican congressional candidate Allen West....|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715110516/http://www.postonpolitics.com/2010/03/sarah-palin-promotes-allen-wests-challenge-of-democratic-us-rep-ron-klein|archivedate=July 15, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> West was one of 32 African-American Republican candidates for Congress in 2010. He said he supported the [[Tea Party movement]] and rejected the notion that the movement was motivated by racism, saying the accusation was a creation of liberal critics and the news media.<ref>{{cite news|title=Black Hopefuls Pick This Year in G.O.P. Races|first=Jennifer|last=Steinhauer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/us/politics/05blacks.html?_r=1&hp,|newspaper=The New York Times |publisher=Arthur O. Sulzberger|date=May 4, 2010|accessdate=November 3, 2010|quote=Among the many reverberations of President Obama's election....}}</ref> He was described as a "tea party star"<ref>{{cite web|last=Sherman|first=Amy|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/18/2273469_p2/allen-west-makes-waves-earns-tea.html|title=Allen West makes waves, earns tea-party raves|work=Miami Herald|accessdate=July 22, 2011}}</ref> became a member of the congressional Tea Party Caucus in February 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2011/02/allen_west_joins_congressional_1.html |title=Allen West joins congressional Tea Party Caucus |work=Sun Sentinel|date=February 7, 2011|accessdate=July 22, 2011}}</ref> In September 2010, the Florida Democratic Party produced a flyer that contained West's unredacted Social Security number. While the party called it an "oversight" and offered to pay for identity theft protection, West harshly condemned the flyer for exposing his family to identity theft.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2010/09/fla-dems-reveal-opponents-ssn-042427|title=Fla. Dems reveal opponent's SSN|last=Hunt|first=Kasie|publisher=[[Politico (magazine)|Politico]]|date=2010-09-20}}</ref> West defeated Klein by a margin of 8.8%. Along with newly elected South Carolina Representative [[Tim Scott (politician)|Tim Scott]], he was one of the first African-American Republicans in Congress since [[J.C. Watts]] retired in 2003.<ref>NPR It's All Politics, James, Frank [https://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/01/05/132660518/black-gop-lawmakers-to-face-tricky-relations-with-democrats?ft=1&f=1014], ''Black GOP Lawmakers Face Tricky Relations With Democrats'', January 4, 2011.</ref> West raised $5.4 million for his campaign, while his incumbent opponent raised $2.5 million. According to West, "...over 97 percent of our donations have come from individual contributions."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43628.html|title=Allen West rakes in $1.6M|first= Alex|last=Isenstadt|work=Politico.com|accessdate=November 16, 2010|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101017041007/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43628.html|archivedate=October 17, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=FL22&cycle=2010 |title=Congressional Elections: Florida District 22 Race: 2010 Cycle |work=OpenSecrets |accessdate=November 16, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108042824/http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?cycle=2010&id=FL22 |archivedate=November 8, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ;2012 {{main|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida#District 18}} [[File:Allen West by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|right|thumb|West speaking at the 2013 [[Conservative Political Action Conference]] (CPAC) in Washington, D.C.]] West raised more than $1.5&nbsp;million in the 2011&nbsp;second quarter to support his 2012&nbsp;reelection bid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allenwestnation.com/content.php?416-Rep.-Allen-West-scores-1.5M-haul-in-second-quarter|title=Rep. Allen West scores $1.5M haul in second quarter|publisher=Allen West Nation|accessdate=July 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715063410/http://www.allenwestnation.com/content.php?416-Rep.-Allen-West-scores-1.5M-haul-in-second-quarter|archive-date=July 15, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43628.html|title=Allen West rakes in $1.6M|publisher=Politico.com|accessdate=July 19, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/07/congressman_allen_west_reports.html|title=Broward Politics: Congressman Allen West reports huge fundraising quarter, takes in $1.5 million|work=Sun Sentinel|date=July 11, 2011|accessdate=July 19, 2011}}</ref> The ''[[National Journal]]''{{'}}s [[Cook Political Report]] in 2011&nbsp;named West one of the top 10&nbsp;Republicans most vulnerable to redistricting in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/top-10-republicans-most-vulnerable-to-redistricting-20110415|title=Top 10 Republicans Most Vulnerable to Redistricting|author=David Wasserman and Julia Edwards|date=April 15, 2011|work=Cook Political Report|publisher=National Journal|accessdate=April 25, 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501045824/http://nationaljournal.com/top-10-republicans-most-vulnerable-to-redistricting-20110415|archivedate=May 1, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Redistricting made the 22nd, which already had a modest Democratic lean, even more Democratic. West faced the prospect of running against West Palm Beach mayor [[Lois Frankel]] in the general election. On February&nbsp;1, 2012, West announced that he would run for reelection in the neighboring 18th District. That district had previously been the 16th, represented by fellow Republican [[Tom Rooney (politician)|Tom Rooney]]. However, Rooney opted to seek reelection in the newly created 17th District, a move that was considered likely to dramatically improve West's chances of reelection, although it was still a competitive race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57369491-503544/allen-west-to-seek-reelection-in-new-district|title=CBS News Political Hot Sheet for February 1, 2012|publisher=CBS|accessdate=2012-07-11}}</ref> In the new district, West received a primary challenge from [[Martin County, Florida|Martin County]] Sheriff Robert Crowder. West did not debate Crowder and said "debating an uninformed opponent would waste voters' time".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/allen-west-commentary-debating-uninformed-opponent/nPkPf/|title=Allen West commentary: Debating uninformed opponent would waste voters' time|author=Allen West|work=Palm Beach Post|date=July 3, 2012|accessdate=January 3, 2013}}</ref> Incumbent West defeated Crowder in a landslide, receiving 74.4% of the vote. His general election opponent was Democrat Patrick Murphy, a political newcomer and a Republican until 2011. The campaign featured several negative ads, including one released by American Sunrise PAC that was extremely critical of West's policies and depicted him in violent cartoon action against several individuals. West issued a statement condemning the ad, stating that it "plays on stereotypes" with the goal of diverting Americans from more pressing matters at hand such as high unemployment. He claimed the ad was released by the family of his opponent. The campaign manager of his opponent, said the ad was from a third party and therefore held no liability for it.<ref>{{cite news|title=Campaign Ad Shows Allen West Punching Women In The Face|author=Jennifer Bendery|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/allen-west-campaign-ad-punching_n_1762385.html|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=August 9, 2012|accessdate=August 10, 2012}}</ref> After primary opponent Crowder endorsed Murphy, a spokesman of the West campaign said "Crowder is a Democrat and a sore loser. I'm shocked he waited this long. Perhaps Crowder hopes to continue cozying up to local Democrats so he can be their nominee against Allen West in 2014." Initial vote counts showed Murphy defeating West by a narrow margin of 2,000&nbsp;votes. West did not concede, citing irregularities in [[St. Lucie County]] where some early ballots may have been counted twice.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/allen-west-not-quietly-good-night-221125815.html Florida's West refuses to relinquish seat in Congress to Murphy – Yahoo! News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Florida state election officials unofficially certified Murphy as the winner.<ref>[http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/blog-summaries/267213-florida-certifies-victory-for-dem-house-newcomer Fla. certifies victory for Dem Murphy, West refuses to concede – The Hill's Blog Briefing Room<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A partial recount of early ballots cast between November 1 and 3, 2012, in St. Lucie County slightly decreased the margin separating the candidates, and the West campaign sought further recounts. West said that if the final results show a loss, he would not cling to his title as a member of Congress, but wanted to ensure a fair election was carried out, raising the potential of a protracted legal battle.<ref>Isenstadt, Alex, [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83732.html "Allen West digs in"], ''Politico'', 11/12/12.</ref> As of the November 18 state deadline, the St. Lucie County election officials had not completed a recount of all of the early ballots, and so the previously submitted vote count which showed Murphy as the winner by 2,146 votes was submitted to the state election officials.<ref>{{cite news |title=Murphy declares victory when St. Lucie board misses noon deadline; West considers challenge |url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/recount-resumes-as-noon-deadline-looms/nS9Dh/ |last=Stapleton |first=Christine |date=November 18, 2012 |work=The Palm Beach Post |accessdate=November 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="deadline">{{cite news |title=Florida Election Officials Miss Tally Deadline in House Race |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/us/politics/florida-officials-miss-deadline-in-allen-west-recount.html |agency=Associated Press |date=November 18, 2012 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=November 19, 2012}}</ref> The West campaign conceded the election on November 20, 2012.<ref name="Politico" /> Meanwhile, Frankel went on to victory in the 22nd. ===Tenure=== {{quote|There are those who will hate your own country, America, regardless of the self-evident truths. To you I say that life just does not get any better than the 'Land of the all night IHOP' … and if you truly hate America so much, you are also free to find another home. There is surely an illegal immigrant who will be happy in yours.| Allen West, in his 2007 debut monthly ''"Column From Kandahar"'' for [[Pamela Geller]]'s ''[[Atlas Shrugs]]'' blog<ref name="MJones2012"/>}} West's rhetoric won him both support and condemnation from differing groups along the American political spectrum. Members of the conservative movement viewed him as a "torch bearer" and "conservative icon", with Sarah Palin and [[Ted Nugent]] both suggesting him for vice president, and [[Glenn Beck]] supporting him for president.<ref name="MJones2012" /> In January 2013, U.S. Representatives [[Paul Broun]] (R-Georgia) and [[Louie Gohmert]] (R-Texas) both voted for West as Speaker of the House, even though he was no longer a member of Congress.<ref>Wing, Nick. [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/allen-west-speaker-of-the-house_n_2403549.html Allen West Pulls Votes For Speaker Of The House, Despite No Longer Serving In Congress], ''[[The Huffington Post]]'', January 3, 2013.</ref> Some of his statements include calling President [[Barack Obama]] "an abject failure", ordering both pro-Palestinian demonstrators and the views of "chicken men" Democrats to "get the hell out" of the United States, opining that drivers with Obama bumper stickers are "a threat to the gene pool", and pronouncing that African American Democrats are trying to keep African Americans "on the [[Plantation economy|plantation]]", while casting himself as the "modern-day [[Harriet Tubman]]" ferrying them to rescue. In a critical summation of West's style, the [[Left-wing politics|liberal]] magazine ''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]'' opined that "[for West] every sentence is a proxy war in the larger struggle between patriots and the 'people in this world that just have to have their butts kicked'".<ref name="MJones2012" /> In January 2011, West joined House Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]] (R-FL) in condemning the official flying of a [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] flag in Washington D.C. West said that the raising of the flag is "an attempt to legitimize an organization with a known history of terrorist actions".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/01/new_congressman_rep_allen_west.html|first=Brittany|last=Wallman|date=January 19, 2011|work=Sun Sentinel Blogs|title=New congressman Rep. Allen West denounces raising of PLO flag|accessdate=January 25, 2011}}</ref> In February, West described [[Michael Ledeen]] as one of his "foreign policy heroes",<ref>{{cite web|first=Allen|last=West|title=Busy Week Culminates with Closing Speech to CPAC|date=February 15, 2011|publisher=Red Country|url=http://redcounty.com/content/eventful-week|accessdate=February 16, 2011|quote=I had the chance to spend time with constituents at the showing of the film "Iranium" and was able to see one of my foreign policy heroes, Mr. Michael Ledeen.}}</ref> and implored his followers to read [[Saul Alinsky]]'s ''[[Rules for Radicals]]'' to "understand what they're up against". Other authors West has cited in helping him shape his worldview include philosopher [[John Stuart Mill]] and [[Union Army]] General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]].<ref name="MJones2012" /> On June 2, 2011, Allen West wrote a letter to President Obama urging him to grant clemency to [[Jonathan Pollard]]. Mr. West wrote, "After serving 26 years behind bars, Jonathan Pollard's health is deteriorating, as is his wife's. If we can consent to the release by the British of the Lockerbie bomber back to Libya due to health concern, how can we justify keeping Mr. Pollard behind bars when his crimes were clearly not as serious as a terrorist who murdered hundreds of Americans?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardbeat.com/allen-west-calls-for-israeli-spys-release/ |title=Allen West Calls For Israeli Spy's Release |author=Buddy Nevins |publisher=BrowardBeat.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Judy L. Randall |url=http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/free_spy_for_israel_urges_stat.html |title=Free Pollard, spy for Israel, urges Staten Island's Rep. Grimm |publisher=SILive.com |date=2011-09-28 |accessdate=2015-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hoffman |first=Gil |url=http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/If-Lockerbie-bomber-was-freed-why-not-Pollard |title=If Lockerbie bomber was freed, why not Pollard? |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=June 5, 2011 |accessdate=2015-05-05}}</ref> Pollard was released on November 20, 2015, in accordance with federal guidelines in place at the time of his sentencing. Anne Pollard, his ex-wife, said "No one helped him. No government reduced his sentence by even one day."<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.687303 After 30 Years, Jonathan Pollard Released From American Prison ],''[[Haaretz]]'', Jonathan Ris and Reuters, November 20, 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.</ref> West attempted to cast his work overseas in historical terms, theorizing that America is following in the footsteps of [[Charles Martel]] at the [[Battle of Tours]], or the 300 [[Spartan army|Spartan]] [[Hoplite]]s at the [[Battle of Thermopylae]], in defending Western civilization against [[Muslim]] threats from the Middle East. In speaking on what he believed to be [[Islam and violence|Islam's proclivity for violence]], West remarked that "Something happened when [[Muhammad|Mohammed]] enacted the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]] and he left [[Mecca]] and he went out to [[Medina]], it became violence."<ref name="MJones2012" /> Because of this view, in February&nbsp;2011, West cited the threat of "radical Islamic terrorists" as his motivation for voting to extend provisions of the [[Patriot Act]];<ref>{{cite web|first=Anthony|last=Man|title=Allen West catches some flak for supporting Patriot Act provisions|date=February 15, 2011|publisher=Broward County Sun Sentinel|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/02/allen_west_catches_some_flak_f.html|accessdate=February 16, 2011}}</ref> He voted against another extension in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Congressman Allen West Votes "NO" on Patriot Act Renewal|date=May 27, 2011|publisher=The Shark Tank|url=http://shark-tank.net/2011/05/27/congressman-allen-west-votes-no-on-patriot-act-renewal}}</ref> When asked during an interview with ''[[The Shalom Show]]'' how he would work with others "like [[Keith Ellison (politician)|Keith Ellison]], who supports Islam", West stated that Ellison, a Minnesota representative and practicing Muslim, represents the "antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/114507899.html|first=Jeremy|last=Herb|date=January 24, 2011|work= Minneapolis Star Tribune|title=Rep. West: Ellison "antithesis" of country's founding principles |accessdate=February 2, 2011}}</ref> West later argued that his initial comment was misconstrued. He said the comments were "not about his Islamic faith, but about his continued support of the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] (CAIR)".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thehill.com/homenews/house/143709-some-in-cbc-embrace-gop-member-others-leery|first=Molly|last=Hooper|date=February 13, 2011|work=The Hill|title=Some in Black Caucus embrace GOP member, but others say they're 'leery'|accessdate=February 2, 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110214073851/http://thehill.com/homenews/house/143709-some-in-cbc-embrace-gop-member-others-leery|archivedate=February 14, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> In a Boynton Beach Town Hall meeting, West told the Miami leader of CAIR that "I will always defend your right to practice a free religion under the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]], but what you must understand, if I am speaking the truth, I am not going to stop speaking the truth. The truth is not subjective."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/02/rep-allen-west-islam-2012-elections-/1|first=Catalina|last=CAmia|date=February 2, 2011|work=USA Today|title=GOP Rep. Allen West draws fire for Muslim comments|accessdate=February 2, 2011}}</ref> On July 19, 2011, West sent an email to Democratic representative and [[Democratic National Committee]] chairwoman [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]] in response to comments directed at him in a speech the congresswoman made on the floor of the House of Representatives after West had departed the chamber.<ref>{{cite news|last=Man|first=Anthony|title=Wassserman Schultz critical of Allen West on federal budget-cutting measure|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/07/wassserman_schultz_critical_of.html|newspaper=Sun Sentinel|date=July 19, 2011}}</ref> West's email, which he copied to members of House Democratic and Republican leadership, characterized Wasserman as "the most vile, unprofessional, and despicable member of the US House of Representatives", said that she was "not a lady" and asked that she focus, instead, on her own congressional district.<ref name="allenwesttirade">{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Ben|title=Allen West tirade: Wasserman-Schultz 'vile...despicable...not a Lady'|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0711/Allen_West_tirade_WassermanSchultz_viledespicablenot_a_Lady.html|newspaper=Politico|date=July 19, 2011}}</ref> This is a long-standing dispute that West says "dates back to the disgusting protest you ordered at my campaign headquarters, October 2010 in Deerfield Beach".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/20/news/la-pn-west-wasserman-schultz-clash-20110720 | title=Florida Reps. Allen West, Debbie Wasserman Schultz clash | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=July 20, 2011}}</ref> At a town hall meeting in Palm City, Florida on April&nbsp;11, 2012, West was asked by a man in the audience, "What percentage of the American legislature do you think are card carrying [[Marxism|Marxists]] or International Socialists?" West responded that "there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the [[Communist Party USA|Communist Party]]." When asked to name them, he replied "It's called the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]]."<ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/11/florida-rep-labels-congressional-democrats-as-communists/ Florida Rep Labels Congressional Democrats as Communists] by ''CNN'', April 11, 2012</ref> '''Committee assignments''' West was appointed to the [[United States House Committee on Armed Services|House Armed Services Committee]] and the [[United States House Committee on Small Business|Small Business Committee]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Derby|title=Florida's New Republicans in Congress Get Committee Assignments|date=December 20, 2010|url=http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/floridas-new-republicans-congress-get-committee-assignments|work=Sunshine State News|accessdate=December 20, 2010|quote=Incoming Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West, who defeated Democrat U.S. Rep. Ron Klein in November, is headed to the House Armed Services Committee – a natural fit for West, a retired Army officer who served in Iraq.}}</ref> * '''Committee on Armed Services''' ** [[United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities|Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities]] * '''Committee on Small Business''' ** [[United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce|Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce]] ** [[United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations|Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations]] '''Caucus memberships''' * [[Republican Study Committee]] * [[Tea Party Caucus]] * [[Congressional Black Caucus]] When West joined the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on January 5, 2011, he became the first Republican to join the CBC since former Congressman [[Gary Franks]] of Connecticut retired in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ashley|last=Southall|title=Republican Allen West Joins Congressional Black Caucus|date=January 5, 2011|url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/republican-allen-west-joins-congressional-black-caucus/ |work=New York Times|accessdate =February 14, 2011|quote=The all-Democrat Congressional Black Caucus welcomed its first Republican member in 14 years on Wednesday, with the swearing-in of Representative Allen B. West of Florida.|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110120103431/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/republican-allen-west-joins-congressional-black-caucus|archivedate= January 20, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> ==Post-congressional career (2013–2020)== [[File:AllenWest-NatlPachydermMtg-GalvestonTX07Sept2019.jpg|thumb|Allen West at the National Pachyderm Convention in Galveston, Texas on September 7, 2019.]] In January 2013, West was hired as a full-time director of programming for Next Generation.TV, part of [[PJ Media]]; in mid-September 2013 his role changed to a twice-a-month contributor.<ref name="buzzfeed.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/allen-west-out-at-pj-media|title=Allen West Out At PJ Media|last1=Gray|first1=Rosie|last2=Nocera|first2=Kate|date=September 26, 2013|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=}}</ref> On May 16, 2013, Fox News announced it had hired West as a contributor to offer political commentary during the network's daytime and prime time shows.<ref>{{cite news |title=Press release: Fox News Channel Signs Former U.S. Representative Allen West to Contributor Role |url=http://press.foxnews.com/2013/05/fox-news-channel-signs-former-u-s-representative-allen-west-to-contributor-role/ |work=Fox News |date=May 16, 2013 |language=en}}</ref> Following the [[Charleston church shooting]] in June 2015, South Carolina Governor [[Nikki Haley]] called for the [[Flags of the Confederate States of America|Confederate Battle flag]] to be removed from a memorial outside the state capital.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/22/south-carolina-confederate-flag/29109939/ | title=S.C. governor calls for removing Confederate flag from Capitol grounds | work=USA Today | date=22 June 2015 | accessdate=22 June 2015}}</ref> West referred to the debate over the flag as a "manufactured crisis" invented by liberals to distract from black-on-black violence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/allen-west-confederate-flag-debate-manufactured-crisis-to-distract-from-chicago-violence/|title=Allen West: Confederate Flag Debate 'Manufactured Crisis' to Distract from Chicago Violence|work=Mediaite|date=29 June 2015}}</ref> In September 2015, West was nominated to the [[Sunset Advisory Commission]], which oversees the need for Texas state agencies, as the [[Texas Senate]]'s appointed public member.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunset.texas.gov/content/bios/vacant-2|title=Emily Pataki {{!}} Texas Sunset Commission|website=www.sunset.texas.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-06-07}}</ref> West is a Life and Endowment Member of the [[National Rifle Association]] (NRA). In May 2016, he announced that he had been elected as a member of the NRA Board of Directors for a three-year term.<ref name="Allen B West">{{cite web|url=http://www.allenbwest.com/allen/i-have-a-major-announcement-to-share-with-yall|title=I have a MAJOR announcement to share with y'all…|date=21 May 2016|publisher=Lt. Colonel Alleb B West|accessdate=21 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522125402/http://www.allenbwest.com/allen/i-have-a-major-announcement-to-share-with-yall|archive-date=May 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 9, 2016, West's official Facebook page posted that Trump had selected [[James Mattis]] as Secretary of Defense to exterminate Muslims.<ref name="MattisMuslimPost">{{cite web|url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/allen-west-muslim-genocide-meme/|title=Allen West Facebook meme hails a coming genocide against Muslims|date=December 12, 2016|author=Chris Tognotti|accessdate=February 3, 2019|publisher=[[The Daily Dot]]}}</ref> Michele Hickford, the editor-in-chief of West's website, removed the post, apologized to readers, claimed she did not post it, took responsibility as editor-in-chief, and stated West had no part in the post.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/AllenBWest/posts/10155292887416729|title=Allen West|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-06-07}}</ref> West was an Executive Director of the [[National Center for Policy Analysis]], a free-market public policy research organization, from July 2016 until it ceased operations in mid-2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncpa.org/about/ncpa_staff|title=NCPA Staff|website=www.ncpa.org|access-date=2017-07-05}}</ref> ==Chairman of the Texas Republican Party== In July 2019, West announced that he would run for Chairman of the [[Republican Party of Texas]], challenging the incumbent chair, [[James Dickey (Texas politician)|James Dickey]].<ref name="PollackTXTrib08152019">Pollack, Casandra. [https://www.texastribune.org/2019/08/15/texas-republican-party-allen-west/ Allen West launches bid for Texas GOP chair], ''[[Texas Tribune]]'', August 15, 2019.</ref> Among the issues he ran on, West stated he wanted to "strengthen our families," "stand up for life," and secure the [[Mexico–United States border|U.S.–Mexico border]]. He also stated that [[Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives|House Speaker]] [[Dennis Bonnen]] should resign.<ref name="PollackTXTrib08152019"/> West was endorsed by former state party chairs [[Tom Mechler]] and Cathie Adams and former vice-chair [[David Barton (author)|David Barton]].<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lt-col-allen-west-has-received-over-100-endorsements-from-key-influencers-on-his-candidacy-for-chairman-of-the-republican-party-of-texas-300975530.html Lt. Col. Allen West Has Received Over 100 Endorsements From Key Influencers on His Candidacy for Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas], ''[[Cision|Cision PR Newswire]]'', December 16, 2019.</ref> He was elected chair in the early morning hours of July 20, 2020.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Svitek | first1=Patrick | title=Former Florida congressman Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman | url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/20/allen-west-james-dickey-texas-gop-chairman/ | date=July 20, 2020 | work=[[The Texas Tribune]] | accessdate=July 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="GuideGOP">{{cite web | last1=Greenwood | first1=Max | title=Tea Party conservative Allen West to guide Texas GOP through 2020 elections | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/508170-tea-party-conservative-allen-west-to-guide-texas-gop-through-2020-elections | date=July 20, 2020 | work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] | accessdate=July 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Morris | first1=Allie | last2=Gillman | first2=Todd J. | title=Texas GOP ousts chairman, picks tea party firebrand Allen West to lead in 2020 elections | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/07/20/allen-west-takes-over-as-texas-gop-chairman-ahead-of-2020-elections/ | date=July 20, 2020 | work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] | accessdate=July 20, 2020}}</ref> The chairman position was voted on at the Texas state Republican convention, where West won 22 of the Texas’s 31 Senate district caucuses, with Dickey winning only 9 of the caucuses.<ref name="GuideGOP"/> ==Personal life== West was first married to Gayle Mosby. Later, West married Angela M. Graham on December 24, 1989. She holds a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in education from [[Kansas State University]], and received a gubernatorial appointment to the board of trustees of [[Florida Atlantic University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fau.edu/bot/grahamwest_angela.php|title=FAU – Angela Graham-West|year=2013|publisher=Florida Atlantic University| accessdate= 23 February 2013}}</ref> They have two daughters.<ref>{{cite web|first=Allen |last=West |title=Allen West's Final Wrap Up For 2010 |date=December 28, 2010 |publisher=allenwest2012 |url=http://allenwest2012.ning.com/profiles/blogs/allen-wests-final-wrap-up-for |accessdate=February 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110421080720/http://allenwest2012.ning.com/profiles/blogs/allen-wests-final-wrap-up-for |archivedate=April 21, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| first = Allen| last = West| title = Rep. Allen West moves to Palm Beach Gardens| date = June 11, 2012 | publisher = TCpalm| url = http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/11/rep-allen-west-moves-to-palm-beach-gardens/?partner=RSS| accessdate =June 26, 2012 }}</ref> West and his family moved to [[Garland, Texas]] after he became CEO of the [[Dallas]]-based [[National Center for Policy Analysis]] in January 2015.<ref>{{cite web| first = Anthony| last = Man| title = It's goodbye for Allen West, who's leaving Florida | date = November 10, 2014 | publisher = Orlando Sentinel| url = http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/fl-allen-west-leaves-florida-20141110-story.html| accessdate =January 12, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Allen West making final Florida appearance | date = December 20, 2014 | agency = Associated Press | url = http://www.wptv.com/news/region-n-palm-beach-county/palm-beach-gardens/allen-west-making-final-florida-appearance | accessdate = January 12, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150708121310/http://www.wptv.com/news/region-n-palm-beach-county/palm-beach-gardens/allen-west-making-final-florida-appearance | archive-date = July 8, 2015 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> He is a [[Christianity|Christian]].<ref>[https://www.yaf.org/speakers/allen-west/ Allen West|Young America's Foundation]</ref> He is a certified [[Master Scuba Diver|master scuba diver]], motorcycle enthusiast and honorary member of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club.<ref name="MJones2012" /> He was a co-host for [[Troopathon]] 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Allen West Joins Troopathon Effort to Support Troops with Care Packages|url=http://go.alpha.mailsquadron.com/l/a/i9i/ad/aqwh/mai/ct4h/trouble.htm|publisher=Move On America|accessdate=5 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020061509/http://go.alpha.mailsquadron.com/l/a/i9i/ad/aqwh/mai/ct4h/trouble.htm|archive-date=October 20, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 23, 2020, while participating in a protest against lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic, West was involved in a motorcycle crash just outside [[Waco, Texas]].<ref name=":3" /> A car veered unexpectedly, resulting in a collision involving West and another motorcycle. He was airlifted to the hospital, and his social media team announced he was in "stable condition."<ref>{{cite news|date=23 May 2020|title=Allen West, Candidate For Chair Of Texas GOP, Stable In Hospital After Motorcycle Crash|url=https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/05/23/allen-west-candidate-chair-texas-gop-motorcycle-crash/|accessdate=24 May 2020}}</ref> ==Electoral history== {{Election box begin|title=2008 22nd Congressional District of Florida Elections}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = [[Ron Klein]] (incumbent) |votes = 169,041 |percentage = 54.7 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Allen West |votes = 140,104 |percentage = 45.3 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin|title=2010 22nd Congressional District of Florida Elections}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = Allen West |votes = 115,411 |percentage = 54.3 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Ron Klein (incumbent) |votes = 97,051 |percentage = 45.7 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin|title=2012 18th Congressional District of Florida Elections}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = [[Patrick Murphy (Florida politician)|Patrick Murphy]] |votes = 166,799 |percentage = 50.4 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Allen West (incumbent) |votes = 164,370 |percentage = 49.6 |change = }} {{Election box end}} ==See also== * [[List of African-American Republicans]] * [[List of African-American United States Representatives]] {{Portal bar|Biography}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Published works== * {{cite book|title=Guardian of the Republic: An American Ronin's Journey to Faith, Family and Freedom |first1=Allen |last1=West |first2=Michele |last2=Hickford |year=2014 |publisher=Crown Forum |isbn=978-0804138109 }} * {{cite book|title=Hold Texas, Hold the Nation: Victory or Death|first1=Allen |last1=West |year=2018 |publisher=Brown Books Publishing Group|isbn=978-1612542980}} ==External links== {{commons category|Allen West}} {{wikiquote}} * {{CongLinks | congbio=W000807 | votesmart=124348 | fec=H8FL22038 | congress=allen-west/2005 }}<!-- Links formerly displayed via the {{CongLinks}} template: * [http://ballotpedia.org/Allen_West Biography] at [[Ballotpedia]] * [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/412413 Congressional profile] at [[GovTrack]] * [http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/412413 Congressional profile] at [[Participatory Politics Foundation|OpenCongress]] * [http://www.rollcall.com/members/29253.html Congressional profile] at ''[[Roll Call]]'' * [http://www.politifact.com/personalities/allen-west Fact-checking] at [[PolitiFact.com]] * [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00029131 Financial information (federal office)] at [[Center for Responsive Politics|OpenSecrets.org]] * [https://apps.washingtonpost.com/politics/capitol-assets/member/allen-west Financial investments (personal)] at ''[[The Washington Post]]'' * [http://www.legistorm.com/member/2742/Rep_Allen_West_FL.html Staff salaries, trips and personal finance] at LegiStorm.com * [http://www.ontheissues.org/FL/Allen_West.htm Issue positions and quotes] at [[On the Issues]] * [http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n2008-81146 Works by or about Allen West] in libraries ([[WorldCat]] catalog) * [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3095581 Appearances] at the [[Internet Movie Database]] * [http://topics.bloomberg.com/allen-west Collected news and commentary] at ''[[Bloomberg News]]'' * [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/enwiki/w/allen_b_west//index.html Collected news and commentary] at ''[[The New York Times]]'' * [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gIQAHd1UKP_topic.html Collected news and commentary] at ''[[The Washington Post]]'' * --> * {{C-SPAN|allenbwest}} * [https://theoldschoolpatriot.com The Old School Patriot] Official Website * [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MUu30sL-KrE Allen West interview] on the Ben Shapiro Sunday Special {{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[Ron Klein]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Florida|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[Florida's 22nd congressional district]]|years=2011–2013}} {{s-aft|after=[[Lois Frankel]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[James Dickey (Texas politician)|James Dickey]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[Republican Party of Texas|Texas Republican Party]]|years=2020–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{Republican State Chairs}} {{U.S. Florida Representatives}} {{Fox News personalities}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Allen (politician)}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:21st-century American politicians]] [[Category:21st-century Christians]] [[Category:African-American Christians]] [[Category:African-American members of the United States House of Representatives]] [[Category:African-American military personnel]] [[Category:African-American people in Florida politics]] [[Category:African-American writers]] [[Category:American anti-communists]] [[Category:American army personnel of the Gulf War]] [[Category:American army personnel of the Iraq War]] [[Category:American critics of Islam]] [[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] [[Category:American political writers]] [[Category:Florida Republicans]] [[Category:Kansas State University alumni]] [[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida]] [[Category:Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)]] [[Category:Politicians from 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