Allen West, Tea Party star, could struggle to win second term

West.House.gov

First-term Republican congressman Allen West of Florida has become a Tea Party darling due in part to his willingness to offer up strong, incendiary rhetoric about his opponents. The latest example came at a Florida GOP dinner over the weekend, when West directed this comment to President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress:

"Take your message of equality of achievement, take your message of economic dependency, take your message of enslaving the entrepreneurial will and spirit of the American people somewhere else. You can take it to Europe, you can take it to the bottom of the sea, you can take it to the North Pole, but get the hell out of the United States of America."

As it turns out, it's becoming increasingly likely that West will have to take his message somewhere other than Congress. That's because under a redistricting plan put forth by the GOP-controlled Florida legislature, West could have a hard time winning a second term - a situation that has some conservatives suggesting a conspiracy by establishment Republicans, including GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

On Friday, a House committee in Florida passed a redistricting map that, as Aaron Blake noted in the Washington Post, makes his already Democratic-leaning district more Democratic. The map could change before passage, and opponents are trying to get it thrown out entirely - but if it stands, it dims the reelection prospects for West, who won by nine points in 2010.

That has conservative blogs fuming, as Politico's Tim Mak reports. Some are pointing out that House Redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford has been a Romney surrogate and suggesting the former Massachusetts governor wants to be rid of West - and, by extension, the Tea Party.

"Get ready for the all new GOP, under the lead of Mitt Romney. It's a GOP where the Tea Party won't be welcome, where the federal government will continue to bailout out banks and unions and everyone who's anyone will continue to make money - except of course you and me," wrote TownHall's John Ransom in a post entitled "No Room for Allen West - or You - in Romney's GOP."

As Mak notes, some other conservative bloggers stopped short of blaming Romney, though they were incredulous at the prospect of a map that could redistrict West into forced retirement.

One unnamed blogger at The Right Scoop suggested that West "made enemies in DC whose tentacles are reaching into the state legislatures to do their bidding."

"It seems pretty clear that there are some who definitely don't like West's level of Tea Party influence and that the long knives are out for him," the blogger added.

On the plus side for West: His strong fundraising ability, which includes a $1.5 million haul in the second quarter of 2011 alone.

[gearhound]

"Alan West is a typical person voting against his own best interest. The Repubican Party, including Romney still are extremely prejudice and believe that African Americans are not equal and slavery should still be enforced. And Romney will take away your civil rights. Why any African American is Republican is beyond my imagination????? The only reason there are some African Americans and women in Congress are "tokens"! Wake UP people and use the brain God Gave you. Think for yourself. Jesus was a COMMUNTY ORGANIZER!!!!! PRESIDENT Obama knows where we all came from not some disillusionist, silver spoon in mouth, selfish Rat Bastard, Mitt. Anyone who spends as much money on himself campaigning when so many citizens need help doesn't deserve to be president."

you are an ignoramous who doesn't even know basic history. the democrats were the party of the KKK, and it was republicans who overwhelmingly supported civil rights for blacks and who ended slavery. you leftists are absolutley clueless. your comments truly display your uneducated, simpleton mind.

[unionjack84]

lets see, the florida gop redo the districts and west could loose (which is great news in itself), and this is romney's fault? you mean obama was not blamed?

[jayz1943]

News Flash: Zimmerman will be acquitted and Allen West will win reelction.

[firish1]

Just another turd lawmaker from Florida.
Protect yourself and the future by not reelecting incumbents.

[myth1958]

Brian Montopoli has the unenviable task of repeating Rep. Allen West's off-the-wall comments, which don't need embellishment to sound like the ravings of a crazy man. West may posture for his Tea Party base, but this macho man won't be able to function in Congress ever again. Whatever your politics, representatives must work with their opponents, crafting compromises in order to pass meaningful legislation. That ship has sailed for West with his strident and anti-American toss-out that liberals ought to leave this country. Somebody needs to tell him that free speech is still in effect, here, as are the right to vote and choose a candidate you like. If voters want liberals, they have a right to put them in office to work for their causes. If the Tea Baggers were universally adored they'd be winning elections in all 50 states and overhwhelming Congress with adherents. But they are not: it is a fringe party within the GOP, most of whose members don't agree with Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann and especially Allen West. Most Americans of all party affiliation want Congress to work together - rejecting the hateful tone this election has taken and demanding their representatives and senators figure out how to compromise to pass needed legislation to fix the big issues of our day. Those who won't work with the members from the other side of the aisle are doomed to failure - isolating themselves (and their constituents) to backwater positions in DC. None of their radical agenda will pass, no matter how much they fume. Telling people to leave this nation because of who they are is pretty much what Hitler wanted. Fascism is still a failure last time I checked, Mr. West.

[myth1958]

jgg00010: Of course he said what you've quoted. However, you've cut off the outragious part at the end of his quote: ".. get the hell out of the United States of America". I think even Neanderthals have the right to speak freely - that's why West's mean-spirited denunciation of the right of liberals to participate in the political dialogue ("take it to the North Pole - take it to Europe") is actually a slap at free speech on his part: he doesn't want to hear opposing viewpoints, ever. I'm not saying West can't open his mouth and show us how anti-American he is - that's his right. He should stop wrapping himself in the flag if he despises what it stands for: conservatives, liberals and moderates all talking freely without threats from some guy. He'll lose his seat for sure over this.

[occupy_cbs]

"Allen West, Tea Party star, could struggle to win second term"



That's because America is tired of the teabagging extremists spewing nothing but strong, incendiary rhetoric about their opponents, their unwillingness to compromise with anyone, and appearing to only want to destroy our country by voting against paying our past bills or solving our many 21st century problems!

Even the GOP establishment can see west as a complete divider!

[occupy_cbs]

"..under a redistricting plan put forth by the GOP-controlled Florida legislature, West could have a hard time winning a second term - a situation that has some conservatives suggesting a conspiracy by establishment Republicans"

"Get ready for the all new GOP, under the lead of Mitt Romney. It's a GOP where the Tea Party won't be welcome"




LOL!

Imagine that...even the GOP establishment is trying to take the republican party back from the teabagging extremists like west!

[kevjustice]

he loses and then will become an actor. west will do a movie remake of "driving miss bachmann!"

[RobAla]

One unnamed blogger at The Right Scoop suggested that West "made enemies in DC whose tentacles are reaching into the state legislatures to do their bidding."

That is not a problem. I have a problem with the irresponsible jerks in Washington who refuse to do their duty to the American people of passing a national budget. We have not had one since 2009. As far as I am concerned, any politician who refuses to pass a budget should be an enemy of responsible US voters. I'm glad he has the guts to shake up their little irresponsible world.

[occupy_cbs]

Of course it's not a problem robbie, for those big mouth teabagging extremists like west telling Americans to leave the USA, when in reality, we need to give those rabid right-wing extremists their walking papers and free bus tickets to Iraq or Somalia!

[gep1955]

Alan West is as American as apple pie. Thats a ton more than Obama.

[GreedyBoehner]

Alan West is a typical person voting against his own best interest. The Repubican Party, including Romney still are extremely prejudice and believe that African Americans are not equal and slavery should still be enforced. And Romney will take away your civil rights. Why any African American is Republican is beyond my imagination????? The only reason there are some African Americans and women in Congress are "tokens"! Wake UP people and use the brain God Gave you. Think for yourself. Jesus was a COMMUNTY ORGANIZER!!!!! PRESIDENT Obama knows where we all came from not some disillusionist, silver spoon in mouth, selfish Rat Bastard, Mitt. Anyone who spends as much money on himself campaigning when so many citizens need help doesn't deserve to be president.