Allen West Wants More Vets and Minority Republicans in Congress

Former U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., called for more minority Republicans and veterans in Congress on Tuesday.

Forty years ago, 72 percent of the House of Representatives and 78 percent of the Senate was made up of lawmakers who served in the armed forces," West wrote in an email to supporters sent out on Tuesday. Today just 20 percent of House members and 18 percent of senators have served. Those who have served in the military have a better understanding and a deeper comprehension of issues involving national security, armed services and veteran issues issues that if not more important now, are just as critical as they were 40 years ago.

The comparison can fall a little flat -- after all, many drafted veterans of World War II were in Congress in the early 1970s and there were far less women on Capitol Hill. Turning his focus to minorities, West took a much longer view.

When I served in Congress from 2011-2012, I was one of only four black Republicans to serve in the United States House of Representatives in nearly a century. In the Senate, there have been only two," West continued. As the demographics of the U.S. population shift, it becomes ever more critical to increase representation by not only black, but Hispanic and Asian-American leaders as well.

Despite his loss to Democrat Patrick Murphy, West remains politically active though he has no intention of running for office in 2014. The Allen West Guardian Fund PAC is already backing Republican candidates -- including U.S. Rep. Tom Cottons, R-Ark., bid for the U.S. Senate and Mia Loves congressional bid in Utah. Cotton is a veteran and Love is African-American. West promised on Tuesday to back 11 more candidates in the weeks to come.