
Sunday, Jul 13, 2014

Allen West's words make him a top Democratic target

The Associated Press
Published:   |   Updated: March 19, 2013 at 04:36 AM



West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, rode into office on the 2010 Republican wave, using tea party momentum and massive fundraising from donors around the country to oust a Democratic incumbent. He's a darling of tea partiers but Democrats see him as a polarizing figure whose words will convince independents and moderate Republicans that he's too extreme. They're calling him one of their top national targets.




In some ways, West is the Republican version of former Congressman Alan Grayson, an Orlando-area Democrat and liberal firebrand who received national attention in 2009 for saying Republicans' health care plan was for sick people to "die quickly."


"There's no question that Alan had some pretty passionate feelings and some pretty strong rhetoric. The difference between Alan Grayson and Congressman West, is that Congressman Grayson actually voted to create jobs, he voted to build infrastructure in Florida, he voted to protect Medicare," Israel said. "If people want to be extreme and inflammatory and call people names, go ahead. But it's his record that is so damaging to the people of Florida."

West scoffs at the comparison to Grayson.

"I'm not going to stand up there and say the other side wants people to die," West said. "My passion is fueled by service to this nation and I don't know what his passion was fueled by and that's very clear and evident to a lot of people."

Since taking office, West has gained attention for:

— Attacking Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who also chairs the Democratic National Committee. After she mentioned him during floor discussion on Medicare benefits, West sent her an email that read, "You are the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the US House of Representatives." He now uses her as a foil in his fundraising appeals. She refuses to talk about him.





Does West regret any of it?

"No. Nothing. Absolutely not," he said.



Democrats criticize him over and over again. The liberal blog Think Progress posted a list called "Rep. Allen West's 15 Most Outrageous Statements" and Patrick Murphy, the only Democrat challenging him, put together a video to show West as inflammatory.

"The hardest thing was editing down to two minutes," said Murphy, who acknowledged that in 2010 voters admired West's candor.

"In the beginning, some people liked it," said Murphy, a 29-year-old accountant and small-business owner. "They said that the guy speaks his mind, but that's over. Independents and Republicans that we're speaking with now are coming to us out of the blue saying, `This isn't America, this isn't right.' It's about moving the country forward, it's not about this rhetoric anymore."

Murphy has benefited from West's remarks, gaining a significant amount of out-of-district support — though the bulk of his donors are Floridians. He's raised $1.8 million, more than all but two Democrats who are challenging incumbent House Republicans. The vast majority of West's support comes from outside of Florida. He has raised $7.8 million, though he spends a lot to make a lot — this cycle he has spent more than $2.7 million on fundraising mail solicitations.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny said voters like West because he isn't canned like other politicians.

"Our debt is on the verge of economic suicide and you've got politicians that run around and everything they say is poll tested. It's all the perfect language — the American people this, the American people that — and people are sitting back going, `Wait a minute, who the hell's fighting for me?"' Curry said. "Allen West is plainspoken and people feel like they have a fighter. That scares people on the left."


"I'm the number one target for the Democrat Party. OK? Fifteen months in political office. Never been a politician before. I've never been a mayor, never been a commissioner, never been in the state House, state Senate. Why is this simple guy from the inner city of Atlanta, Georgia, that's a humble, old soldier, all of a sudden drawing the ire of an entire party? Because I show you that," West said, pointing at the debt clock. "I'm not going to lay down and let people steamroll me."

And while known for needling Obama, he didn't take the bait when one attendee in the crowd of about 100 asked about an Arizona sheriff who said an investigation found Obama's birth certificate might be forged.

"Stop it. Stop. OK? It's got to be about policy, folks. Don't get distracted. Don't go down the rabbit hole. The next thing you know, you lose focus on what's really important. OK?" West said. "I really don't care about where he was born. I care about where he's taking our country. That's more important."


"He's a man of integrity. He has our country at heart, he himself served in service and I think he's a brilliant man," said Marie Kastenbauer, 77, of Pompano Beach. "I call him a man of courage because he deeply believes what he says and he's not afraid to say it. When he says something he honestly believes it in his heart."