Allen West resigns as chair of Texas Republican Party

[KC5AV]

...fueling speculation that he plans to challenge Greg Abbott.
https://www.news-journal.com/news/local ... d61b4.html

[bbhack]

He would need a Trump endorsement if he is thinking about a challenge. I know some people are not happy, but Trump has said positive things about Abbott recently.

[RoyGBiv]

Interesting development.

[powerboatr]

Interesting development.

yes it is.

[flowrie]

Maybe he would run against John Cornyn

[chasfm11]

Maybe he would run against John Cornyn

I stood 2 feet from him (he was speaking at a group event to which I belong) and asked him to do just that. It was before Cornyn was relected. In retrospect, he probably didn't have enough time to ramp up a campaign to overcome Cornyn's incumbent power but I really, really wanted him to run.

Now I really, really, really want him to run for Governor. We need someone with DeSantis' moxey and I think Lt. Col West has at least that.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Maybe he would run against John Cornyn

I stood 2 feet from him (he was speaking at a group event to which I belong) and asked him to do just that. It was before Cornyn was relected. In retrospect, he probably didn't have enough time to ramp up a campaign to overcome Cornyn's incumbent power but I really, really wanted him to run.

Now I really, really, really want him to run for Governor. We need someone with DeSantis' moxey and I think Lt. Col West has at least that.

Do some research.

Chas

[KC5AV]

Texas GOP chairman announces he's running against Abbott in Republican primary
https://www.news-journal.com/news/local ... ium=social

This should be interesting.

[dru]

Maybe he would run against John Cornyn

I stood 2 feet from him (he was speaking at a group event to which I belong) and asked him to do just that. It was before Cornyn was relected. In retrospect, he probably didn't have enough time to ramp up a campaign to overcome Cornyn's incumbent power but I really, really wanted him to run.

Now I really, really, really want him to run for Governor. We need someone with DeSantis' moxey and I think Lt. Col West has at least that.

Do some research.

Chas

Meaning what, exactly?

[K.Mooneyham]

Maybe he would run against John Cornyn

I stood 2 feet from him (he was speaking at a group event to which I belong) and asked him to do just that. It was before Cornyn was relected. In retrospect, he probably didn't have enough time to ramp up a campaign to overcome Cornyn's incumbent power but I really, really wanted him to run.

Now I really, really, really want him to run for Governor. We need someone with DeSantis' moxey and I think Lt. Col West has at least that.

Do some research.

Chas

Meaning what, exactly?

I, too, am curious what that meant. I have read up on Allen West's background. Much of what is said against him goes back to his time as an Army commander serving in Iraq, and specifically an incident where he violently threatened a "detainee". IIRC, the detainee was reported to be either an IED-maker, or had direct ties to an IED-maker, whose bombs had inflicted casualties on some of then-Lieutenant Colonel West's troops. The US Army got a proverbial black eye from that incident as the detainee later reported it to some organization which lodged an official complaint against Colonel West. He was forced to retire from active service over the incident. TBH, I am pretty ambivalent about that incident. While I am fully against torturing the soldiers of any other nation's military, the detainee wasn't a soldier. He wasn't even an official paramilitary, just a terrorist, IMHO. So, I leave that incident out of any opinion I have formed about Allen West, and my opinion of the man could go either way depending upon what information I got about him from a reliable source.

[RoyGBiv]

I assumed Charles was referring to West's time at the NRA, but of course I can't be sure.

NRA board member Allen West urges CEO LaPierre to step down

[Ruark]

Sounds like West might be a good alternative to Abbott, if he can fend off that idiot Matthew McConahee, or whatever his name is. Not that I have anything against Abbott; I really like the guy.

West's association with the NRA could work for or against him, depending one the mindset of the steadily growing Texas liberal Democrat voting bloc.

[Jeff B.]

I’m going out on a limb here, but LTC West’s time in Congress and subsequent failure to win re-election.

He voted for the Patriot Act, which in some quarters is very unpopular and it was repeatedly said that the Colonel have incorrect or false answers in Town Halls regarding the contents and effect of the bill.

Throw in his stint with the NRA, move to Texas and ascension to the GOP Chair and you could make the car that LTC West has been searching for a venue to allow for a relaunch of his political career.

IMO, I think this is a mistake. Governor Abbott is relatively popular and has been making the right moves to nail down his conservative/right support, even if a bit tardily. I think LTC West was doing fine in the GOP Chair and was aggravating the crap out of many of the RINO’s in the Texas House and Senate. He should have stayed there for longer period and pushed the party further to the Libertarian Right.

Although I’m not a huge Abbott fan, I’ll support him in the primary and then race.

Jeff B.

[crazy2medic]

The only thing I want to see is RINO Cornyn to be replaced with a real Conservative, I Have no Issues with Abbott at this time!

[srothstein]

I am not 100% happy with the governor but not really wanting him out either. I have nothing against LTC West, but it does look like some debatable parts in his past could hurt him. I agree that Cornyn is more of a liability to us than Abbott, but since he was just re-elected it looks like we are stuck with him for at least four more years.

I am surprised that so far, only George P. Bush has announced a challenge to Paxton for AG. I think Paxton has done well for us so far, but his personal legal problems make him very vulnerable, IMO. I had thought that Glenn Hegar would try to move up to AG from Comptroller, if only to prep for a future run for LT Governor or Governor.