Rep. Allen B. West has served his South Florida district for less than three months, but already his supporters are demanding more.
Run for Senate in 2012, some say. Others suggest the outspoken conservative Republican would make a perfect vice presidential candidate next year.
Even a “West for president” movement has spread among conservative tea party supporters, who have used blogs, YouTube videos and aFacebook page to promote the man they want in the White House come January 2013.
The national buzz surrounding Mr. West has waned little since November, when the retired Army lieutenant colonel defeated Democratic incumbent Ron Klein and became a nationwide tea party sensation.
“As long as the tea party is the power broker of the Republican Party, which it currently is right now, then West is a big player and will continue to be,” said Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University. “West is the real deal on tea party ideology.”
Mr. West’s take-charge persona, strongly conservative views, frequent quoting of the Constitution and career military background have made him a folk hero to many and a popular guest on national TV and radio news shows.
He further ingratiated himself with his base by challenging his own party’s authority. In December, before he even was sworn in to Congress, he publicly called out then incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia for scheduling “only” 123 workdays for 2011. He also questioned party leaders for holding several congressional retreats in early 2011, which he considered a waste of time.
The freshman’s star power got a huge boost last month when the Conservative Political Action Conference, a key player in conservative politics, gave him the high honor of the closing keynote speech at its annual winter gathering. As one of only two black Republicans inCongress, he has been credited with helping rebut claims that the tea party is a whites-only movement.
“West makes you take a second look at what it means to be Republican and what it means to be a tea partyer and what it means to be conservative in that it really is color-blind,” GOP strategist Ron Bonjeansaid. “Our fiscal issues aren’t black and white. Rather, it’s policy, they’re American issues, and everybody is affected by them.”
But with all the praise and hype, Mr. West himself has downplayed talk of seeking higher office next year, telling The Washington Times last week that he will run for re-election to the House.
© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC.
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