Allen West decides to get the hell out of District 17.
Popular conservative Rep. Allen West announced today that he will run in the proposed 17th district on west coast of Florida.
The Huffington Post reported:
Rep. Allen West’s (R-Fla.) re-election prospects just got a lot better.
West announced Tuesday that he was running to the north in the proposed 18th Congressional District. Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) is leaving that district to run in the proposed 17th Congressional District on the west coast of Florida.
“After much prayer, reflection and discussion with my close friends and family, I am announcing today my decision to seek re-election in Florida’s proposed 18th Congressional District,” said West in a statement. “I have always believed the state of Florida would be best served by having both Congressman Tom Rooney and myself in the House of Representatives working to solve our nation’s most pressing problems.”
Meanwhile, the Miami Herald reports that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hasner is leaving the race to run for West’s old seat in the 22nd District.
Re-election previously looked more perilous for West, whose swing district was in the process of being redrawn into being more Democratic.
He already had drawn two Democratic opponents, Patrick Murphy and former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel.
Frankel reacted to West’s announcement Tuesday in a statement. “Allen West just announced that he is cutting and running from a fight with me — he is retreating to another district,” she said. “I am staying right here in the 22nd Congressional District.”
