Texas GOP Chairman Allen West has announced that he is running for governor of the state, contesting fellow Republican Greg Abbott. West, who recently announced his resignation as the chair of the Texas Republican Party, has been critical of Abbott.
The declaration was made by West during a July Fourth appearance at Sojourn Church in Carrollton, Texas.
“I can no longer sit on the sidelines and see what has happened in these United States of America,” West said in a launch video shown at the church.
After he announced his resignation, West immedietly hinted he was considering a run for statewide office. During his time as the state party chairman, he did not shy away from conflict with state leaders, including Abbott.
Since his election as Texas GOP chair in July 2020 when he defeated then-incumbent James Dickey, West has slammed Abbott’s coronavirus response and sought to push the governor’s legislative agenda further to the right. Last fall, he spoke at a protest outside the governor’s mansion demanding that Abbott fully reopen the state amid the pandemic.
