One-term Republican Congressman from Florida and head of the Texas GOP Allen West will challenge Texas Governor Greg Abbott for the Party’s nomination for the gubernatorial race, the Associated Press reports.
Running for his third term, Abbott has the support of a large percentage of Republican voters, but he has a so-so record with voters overall, seeing just a 44% job approval rating, versus 44% who disapprove of his job performance.
West, who represented the 22nd Florida Congressional District for the 2011-2013 term, was voted out after redistricting in the state took effect. He is a former Army colonel who saw his military career stagnate after firing a pistol next to the ear of a foreign detainee from the Iraq war during an interview. West became popular as a vocal member of the far-right Tea Party Caucus, and as a frequent guest on Fox News as one of the few Black Republicans in Congress.
Recently, West has latched on to the QAnon conspiracy theory, appearing at QAnon-affiliated meetings with Kraken lawyer Sidney Powell.