Former U.S. Rep. Allen West optimized the ebb and flow of the tea party movement over the last five years, winning a congressional election in 2010 but losing two years later.
Despite his brief time in office, West cast a large shadow over Florida politics in recent years. His unapologetic conservatism and military values won him passionate fans on the right while his outspokenness and constant criticism of President Barack Obama won him the scorn of the Democrats. Nor did they appreciate West calling 80 congressional Democrats members of the Communist Party.
For a freshman in Congress, West had more than his share of national attention which served as a double-edged sword. West proved a prolific fundraiser and there has been plenty of talk about future bids for higher office: running for the U.S. Senate and even a presidential bid were mentioned.
But Wests national profile hurt him when he ran for a second term. Losing much of his old constituents after redistricting and facing a far more competitive election, West made no efforts to run to the center. That could have worked had West paid more attention to his race. Facing a tough Democratic challenger in Patrick Murphy, West spent too much time jetting to other states helping out other Republicans. In a contest marred by attacks, recounts and ballot irregularities in St. Lucie County, Murphy narrowly won.
Since losing to Murphy, West has remained active, but despite some endorsements in Florida he increasingly grew less active in the Sunshine State. West has remained in the rotation at Fox News over the last two years while a short tenure at PJ Media ended with reports that the former congressman had been dismissed after calling a staffer a Jewish-American princess. While his name was floated as candidate for higher office, West opted out of running for office in 2014, including seeking a rematch with Murphy.
After the 2014 elections, West moved to Texas to lead the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA). While he remains active on the national stage, Wests tumultuous run in Florida politics appears over, even as his old congressional seat could be opening with Murphy aiming for the Senate in 2016.
Still, West was one of the leading political personalities in Florida over the last five years. The rise of the tea party movement in Florida in 2010 and its poorer showing in 2012 was one of the big stories in Florida politics over the last five years and nobody personified that more than West did.
(ABOUT THIS SERIES: Allen West is the 10th in a special anniversary series of 20 political personalities who loomed large since early 2010, when Sunshine State News set up shop in Tallahassee.Who else made the list? Click here to find out.)
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
