E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Firebrand Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., said Tuesday he had conceded in his bid for re-election to Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy.
Fourteen days after Election Day, West, a favorite of Tea Party conservatives who had sought a recount and raised the prospect of inaccuracies in the results, said in a statement that his legal team "does not believe there are enough over-counted, undercounted or fraudulent votes to change the outcome of the election."
"While many questions remain unanswered, today I am announcing that I will take no further action to contest the outcome of this election," West said.
Joe Skipper / Reuters
Republican Rep. Allen West speaks at a campaign stop with guests at SCORE South Palm Beach, a resource partner to the Small Business Administration, in Boca Raton, Fla. Oct. 18, 2012.
Murphy led by about 1,900 votes following a partial recount in the district.
He added a bit later on Fox News: "We're going to move ahead and we wish Congressman-elect Murphy very well, but I think that now is not the time to draw the process out."
West was a lieutenant colonel in the Army, during which time he served in the Iraq war. He successfully ran for Congress in 2010, aided by the Republican headwinds that year in his challenge to Democrat Ron Klein in a swing district. He sought re-election in a slightly more favorable district following the redrawing of congressional district boundaries prompted every decade by the Census.
The victory for Murphy adds to Democrats' pickup in the House, and disarms conservatives of one of their most brash voices in Congress. He, for instance, equated economic dependence upon government — through programs like Social Security — to slavery, and West called Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a fellow Florida lawmaker, "vile" and "not a lady."
West's departure from Capitol Hill also means that that Congress will lose one of its two black Republicans. West and South Carolina Rep. TIm Scott, R, are the only two African American members of the GOP conference; West was the only Republican member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Leave a Comment:
Rep. Allen West should just suck-it-up, just like he did for that UCMJ Art. 15 non-judicial punishment that cut his official military career short and forced him to retire. These things happen when you stray from character. Tea anyone?
Before you start the usual liberal character assassination you should read why the man had a UCMJ action against him. It was because he valued the life of his troops more than his career, something that a lot of senior military officers would not do anymore. He got a terrorist in Iraq to talk before he carry out a planned attack against his troops.
Politics aside, no matter what you like of Murphy or West, if you had any Clue what West went through, his sacrifice to ensure the welfare of soliders under his command, and his dedication in (actually and litterally) fighting terrorism in Iraq, you would not lambast this great American Hero. It is one thing to state disagreements of his politics, to lambast his sacrifice on the ACTUAL war front is an insult to all of us that served in Iraq.
19877j20 You are correct and i applaud LTC(R) West for that. He saved lives that day. He received his UCMJ like a true warrior which i still disagree with to this day. The military needs more leaders in the military like him during the time of war. I still say that does not does not quallfy him to hold a seat in congress. The Floridians did the right thing not re-electing him to office. Now he can draw employment and be part of the 47% that the GOP really thinks about him.
Put a bag on his head!
good riddance!
One of the worst removed from Congress. I never thought I'd say this: Thanks Florida!
And so ends the fifteen minutes of Allen West. At least in Congress. Because like Sarah Palin before him, he will no doubt write a book, go on Fox News, do a tour of right-wing radio talk shows and make a pile of money. This has now become a career path in this country. I do think we ought to gather up everyone who voted for him (and for the Michelle Bachmans of the world), and ask them why they did so. Then send them to group therapy. Because inquiring minds want to know: what were they thinking??
West has one hell of a record going. Drummed out of the Army for torturing Iraqis and firing pistols next to civilians heads and now, the people of Florida regained their senses and drummed his ignorant, vile, not a Man, a$$ out of the US Congress. Yet, the Right is so warped in its mind set, this loon will probably write a Book which will be filled with Right Wing misguided talking points and get a show on FIXED NEWS (FUX) and go on to tell more lies, see more imaginary Communist and Lefties and rack in even more money from the fools on the Right!
I think you would feel different if you were one of his troops.
Eddit in Seattle, Al-Queda thanks you for your support. West did a GREAT job ensuring his unit the best possible chance of survival in the heat of battle while at the same time getting as many Sunni Al-Queda backed Terrorists captured and/or killed in Iraq. Eddie, if it makes you feel better, sorry for the loss of your Al-Queda Inspired friends that were killed or captured fighting the Unit that West was in.
Hate to break your Heart and ruin your post but I would have reported the SOB if I was one of his troops and I was in the Army my good man. 503 PIR-82nd Airborne Div. I received an Honorable Discharge and came home an E-5 (Buck Sgt) I served my Country Honorably. WTF did you do? West was a jackass in the Army & a jackass in the Congress. Torture is Torture and I don't recall there being a real big Al-Queda presence in Iraq. You have your Countries mixed up Kurt. The fight between Shiite & Sunni has nothing to do with Al-Queda, it would be the equivalent of a war between Catholics and Protestants...
I am sorry you have lost your unhinged poster boy for the Tea Bag Nation. Not t9o worry, that jackass is too stupid to just go away and FIXED NEWS will find a place for him on that jackass network.
No wonder this joker never made Captain. Good riddance Jackwagon!
Another liberal military expert speaks, he was a Lt Col. you idiot, that's senior to Captain.
Celnav is the type of voter that would vote for Murphy over West... someone that has no clue that Lt. Col is Senior to a Captain in the Military.
Good, now he can run for president.
How many baggers got dumped?
Not enough obviously, Bachmann is still around, mores the pity!
St. Lucie County elections made too many 'mistakes' to really be mistakes. Even the late decision to do a full recount wasn't sincere, it was meant to mirror the events of the 2000 Bush / Gore elections where in Fl state law was finally followed and recount stopped. Too many coincidences to be a coincidence. Besides, West is a black, conservative man; something that liberals consider traitorous, as elite liberals believes all blacks should be beholding to the Democratic party for what they have earned, or what they get.
Sorry, but the Democratic party has become the more moderate of the two parties. Extremists like West have taken over the Republican party.
Obama is far more centrist than the far right, religious zealot, Mitt! There isn't a perfect candidate, but at least Obama is inclusive of all races, and all people. And, at least Obama is working to solve national problems with talk rather than "John Wayne kill 'em all" tactics like the Republicans.
Calling West an "extremists" when we have such an Extremists in the Oval Office is an Oxymoron. No President in history was so extreme not to have a single $1 Trillion Annual Budget Deficit, Obama had 4 of them. No President was so extreme to cause our Credit Rating to go down until Obama. No President was so extreme to cause so many to be under the Plantation of Government Dependency with Welare and FoodStamps at record levels. No President was so extreme to have so many months in a row of over 8%. No President would be so extreme to call the Terrorist Attack at Fort Hood, "work place violence". No President would be so extreme to blame the Terrorist Attack of our US Consulate and killing of our Ambassador on Free Speech on the Internet in USA and have the person jailed for free speech who had absolutely nothing to do with the Terrorists attack of the US Consulate.
The 2009 budget was Bush's budget moron.
Mark, I will not lower myself in labeling you as "moron". I do not want to lower myself to your level. The 2009 "Stimulus" in February 2009 caused the year 2009 "budget" to exceed $1 Trillion
newdayDAWNING...RETURNED
"I have to say, I would have loved to be in the room with staff as they tried to get West to understand that he lost. Can you imagine that conversation?
The question I have about that race is not that he got beat, but who on earth would have listened to West during his term in office, and not known that he is completely crazy? What would cause someone to vote for him? "Gee the guy is certifiably nuts, but by God I like him?"
There are folks who should stay away from the ballot box"
You have to wonder why the people who elected this person and all those others of his ilk who subscribe to his radical way of governing, ever thought they were Congressional caliber in the 1st place?
They poured salt into the wound on an already established Congressional malfeasance by loading up the 2010 House elections with people that border on criminal in their ideas to undo 250 years of Democracy!
The States that railroaded common sense out of the State Houses when they let the Tea Party take over the 2010 elections are beginning to see the harm that extremism has caused the electorate as well - thankfully, we are slowly ridding ourselves of that plague.
So, ok, West "does not believe there are enough over-counted, undercounted or fraudulent votes to change the outcome of the election."
Allen West is a self important political fraud. A screwed up, conspiracy theorist intellectual.
The Republican Party is packed with people like West these days ... along with people who occupy the other side of the coin -- Murdock types who think that rape "is part of God's plan."
They never had a free thought in their life, and don't think anyone else is capable (or deserving) of free thought, either.
Do they not know that we live in the 21st Century???????????????
Sounds like the GOP got beat at their own game when he sought re-election in a slightly more favorable district following the redrawing of congressional district boundaries prompted every decade by the Census. His attitude did towards the people did help either. Now he can really retire but he keeps his health care plans, Tricare for life which he earned and deserves but the congress plan he will receive by serving only two years in congress he should not be eligible. He really didn't earn it.
Fired at last! Fired at last! Thank God Almighty, he's fired at last!
Brilliant- I'm gonna have to use that one!
Goodbye and hopefully good riddance to this $hit-faced Uncle Tom.
Two years too late, in my opinion. This underqualified POS should have never been elected in the first place. What were the voters in South Florida doing when this fool was elected in 2010. Hopefully he and others of the same stripe such as Joe Walsh in Illinois, another certified nut-job who also lost, will never get a chance to crawl out from under their rocks anytime soon.
Typical liberal attitude. A man who served his country in time of war is an unqualified POS but a community organizer and two year junior senator is qualified to be president, go figure.
Exactly, 1987j20, People like Bear surely take his freedoms for granted due to the sacrifices like people such as Allen West.
In a related note West has agreed with Fox News to host a new one hour program where he can continue to spew his hate.
Hey it could happen.
Dis good 4 all da haterz this is how racist haterz talk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2NqqL0CnaU
Sounds like a lot of liberal hate here.
Libbies hate african-americans who want to venture off the vote-plantation and keep electing democrats like jesse jackson jr.
the white gurl she playin it true ya know?
LMAO! I posted the you tube link because it is hilarious - and true. Severe cultural issues, the victim trap, the lack of discipline in the home, and 58% HS drop out rates are what hold back blacks in today's society and not racism.
Another Member Of The Dinosaur Party Is Turned Into A Fossil!
Dems Score 2 Points -- 1 For A Republican And A Bonus Point 1 For A Teabagger!
And These Folks Still Don't Believe They Can Lose Any Elections -- Well It Happened Again In The House In Case
You Didn't Notice!
Another Member Of The Real Takers Crowd Just Lost His Big Bucks, Benefits And Big Office!
Maybe Grover Norquist Will Hire Him? --- YUM -- DEE -- DUM!
you a racist haterz
Rebel, please try and speak English, getting tired of trying to decipher republican-speak. Racism has nothing to do with ridding Florida of a Tea-bag loon, calling 98 members of the House communists is over the top, its a good thing he lost, room for rational thinkers and doers, regardless of party affiliation. Lets get on with the Peoples business, America first.
Count Allen among those Republicans running for office who would be wise to keep their opinions and beliefs to themselves.
West was a radical and glad to see him gone he was and is a nut job. Hope more tea baggers get the axe in 2014 they are a real bunch of trouble makers who are not in government to make it work but instead to obstruct government at every chance. It is a shame West gets to hang around until January and you can bet he will cause as much trouble as he can before he leaves. Hope Boehner puts a muzzle on him.
Radicals is leftie haterz cheats and federal election stealers staring wit Landslide Lyndon Johnson in '48 Senate contest against Coke Stevenson.
John - Even someone making $25-$30k/yr could afford a minimal tax rate increase (minimum as compared to 0 meaning ANY type of increase)
They wouldn't like it (like everybody else who actually pays any semblence of federal income taxes), but they could afford it. Don't tell me someone making $500/week couldn't find a way to support their same lifestyle making $490/week (about a 2% tax hike on $25k). That's a 12 pk, or 2 Starbucks coffees, or you pack your lunch twice instead of going to McD's, or give up your Premium DirecTV package. or you have to buy the Vizio instead of the LG television. Dang, that really sux doesn't it?
But nooooooo, we couldn't have that. sniff sniff;)
WOW!..another dumba$$ speaks!....how do you know people making 25-30,000 a year can afford a min. tax hike?..do you live in that money range?...I do and dont drink, dont go to starbucks, take my lunch to work, have min. tv service, min. cell phone service, dont smoke, and have a older tv set, ...what I do have is very high health insurance, high rent, high gas prices, high food prices, etc...Thanks to your Prez.!..not mine.
Congradulation Congressman Murphy for a long hard fight, from Kansas!
Lefties is haterz and liars and cheats - you proud How did?
Now you can concede you are an idiot. Your only saving grace is you are a veteran.
Allen, your ranting, raving, and unpopular views take them elsewhere; or as you so coarsely said: "you can take them to the moon, to the bottom of the ocean, but get them the hell out of here!"