Sunday's not-so-expected entry of former Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West into the race for governor next year has made that contest even more unpredictable.
At the beginning of the year, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott appeared to be coasting to a third term in 2022. But the migrant crisis at the border — one that was given a national spotlight after visits from Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump —has spawned criticism of the governor from his party’s right flank.
Former state Sen. Don Huffines, a conservative and Trump supporter, has been in the GOP primary for months and argues that Abbott has not been tough enough on border issues.
Now West, also a hard-liner on illegal immigration, has entered the race as well. Several observers of the Texas Republican Party agree that, at his point, he will split the anti-Abbott vote with Huffines and allow the governor to be renominated.
(Under Lone Star State law, a statewide candidate must win a majority of votes cast in a primary to be nominated; should no one win a majority, a subsequent run-off between the two top vote-getters must be held.)
A former Florida congressman and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, West has a strong following among the party’s Trump-oriented grass roots. In 2020, he astonished political observers on all sides by deposing the incumbent state party chairman. Despite belonging to the same party as Abbott, West led protests against the COVID--19-related lockdown of state businesses.
But West also has his critics, largely because of what they say is a lack of accomplishment while at the party helm.
“He’s basically all hat and no cattle — glib but not competent,” Bill O’Sullivan, formerly head of the largest “Tea Party” group in Houston, told Newsmax, “He served a term in Congress, He was relieved of his command in the ‘War on Terror’ due to discharging his weapon to extract info from a prisoner. He became party chairman and then quit in a short time because he was obviously not really interested in the chairman’s job.”
Abbott’s popularity dropped from 56 percent in April 2020 to 45 percent in April 2021, according to a poll conducted by the University of Texas(Austin). The same poll, however, showed that among GOP voters he enjoys a 77 percent job approval rating.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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