Former U.S. Rep. Allen West has said he is considering a political comeback in 2016 -- and the Florida Republican took steps last week to raise his national profile. West, a favorite of the tea party, lost to Democrat Patrick Murphy in 2012 but has remained very active politically since then.
West appeared on Sean Hannitys show on Fox News Thursday night, where he continued firing away at President Barack Obamas handling of the Middle East. While a critic of Obamas call for military action against Syria, West said he would support intervention against Iran down the road.
Iran is really the center, the nerve center and sometimes you have to go after the head and I think that if you want to do the right thing strategically, you maybe want to focus against Iran so that you dont give them the initiative, West told Hannity.
That wasnt Wests only moment with the national media Thursday. The former congressman served as a guest host for Steve Malzbergs radio show in the afternoon.
West will be staying in the political limelight this week. Toward the end of the week, he will be heading to Kansas City to offer the keynote address for the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference (MRLC). He will be joined by other prominent Republicans, including Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas and U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
Some guys walk the walk and then there are guys that talk the talk. Colonel West is that unique blend of both, said Ed Martin, the chairman of the Missouri Republican Party, when the announcement was made that West would be speaking at the MRLC. He was a war hero, a conservative lawmaker, and is an American original.
Since losing to Murphy, West has remained active with the national conservative movement, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this year and talking with conservative groups across the nation. He has also remained politically active with his Allen West Guardian Fund PAC.
West has closed the door on running for office in 2014 but has said he would be open to running for office in 2016. A trip to New Hampshire, the traditional home of the first presidential primary, led to speculation that West will run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinDerbySSN.
