Early this morning Allen West released a statement conceding the race after his attempt to obtain a full recount lost any realistic chance.
Based on his team’s analysis there were not enough disputed or suspicious votes to overcome the approximately 2000 vote lead.
As indicated yesterday from someone close to the campaign, West will not be leaving public life, and if anything, will become more active:
I cannot wait for the next phase of Allen West.
There is more to come and AW will be operational very soon….
Stay in touch and stay in the fight.
BAYONETS!!
Via Palm Beach Post, here is the full statement:
“For two weeks since Election Day, we have been working to ensure every vote is counted accurately and fairly. We have made progress towards that goal, thanks to the dedication of our supporters and their unrelenting efforts to protect the integrity of the democratic process. While many questions remain unanswered, today I am announcing that I will take no further action to contest the outcome of this election.
“While there are certainly still inaccuracies in the results and the actions of the St. Lucie County and Palm Beach County Supervisors of Elections rightly raise questions in my mind and for many voters, after much analysis and yesterday’s recount in St. Lucie County, our legal team does not believe there are enough over-counted, undercounted or fraudulent votes to change the outcome of the election.
“While a contest of the election results might have changed the vote totals, we do not have evidence that the outcome would change. Given the extremely high evidentiary hurdles involved in a successful challenge, I will not ask my generous supporters to help fund a drawn-out, expensive legal effort with little chance of success. Therefore, we will not contest the certification or challenge the seating of Congressman-Elect Murphy.
“Serving the people in the House of Representatives has been among the highest honors of my life, but this seat does not belong to me, or for that matter, to any individual. It belongs to the people. I want to congratulate my opponent, Patrick Murphy, as the new Congressman from 18th Congressional District. I pray he will serve his constituents with honor and integrity, and put the interests of our nation before his own.
“I must thank my wife Angela, and my daughters Aubrey and Austen for their support, patience, understanding and most of all, love. These are three of the toughest women I know. They have sent me off to defend our nation overseas at war and to Capitol Hill to serve our nation in the House of Representatives. They have all handled the challenges of these last few months, and the last many years, with amazing grace. I know they will be my side for whatever is our next chapter.
“I want to thank my congressional and campaign staff for their service, and most importantly, I want to thank all of our tremendous supporters who provided their time and money to power our campaign. I am humbled by the dedication and perseverance of our supporters, and their commitment to a free and prosperous America. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done for our campaign, but most importantly, what they have done, and will continue to do for our country. None of us should let the outcome discourage us. We should only redouble our resolve.
“Above all, I want to thank God for his blessings, and for blessing me with the opportunity to serve.
Only God knows what is in store for each of us. I have dedicated my life to serving this nation, and the results of this election will not change my purpose. Just as I did in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, just as I did on Capitol Hill, I will continue to fight for our Republic.“Our nation will not overcome our challenges overnight ,and the road ahead for each one of us will not be easy. But this nation would never have become that shining beacon of light if our founders had chosen the easy path 236 years ago. We all must proudly continue their legacy.
“For the protection and preservation of our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, I shall remain steadfast and loyal. God bless you and God bless these United States of America.”
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Comments
What a Hero and what a Man. Thank you, Republicans for redistricting a Hero out of office. I hope that you can live with yourselves. Bastards!
I just don’t understand the logic of the repubs. Self destruction as a way to advance the cause does not work. It’s as though the republican party has been infiltrated by covert democrat operatives. Maybe they’re the same ones in control of project orca.
Can he take over the RNC?
They got exactly what they wanted- to get rid of an outspoken colleague who couldn’t be counted on to do the right thing for the establishment.
Rubio is more their kind.
Yes, he could have won if he had had a safe district, but instead he chose not to reach out to the half of his constituents who were offended by his disrespectful and inflammatory statements about them, the president, and his colleagues in Congress. And by modeling disrespectful, uncompromising positions, his supporters can certainly expect disrespect from Murphy. But Murphy was a Republican until last year, and is willing to caucus with the minority. I wouldn’t be surprised if he changes parties back to Republican, and tries to reach out to the whole district.
I understand the urgency of the cause, but politics in the United States is generally about reaching out, compromise, making deals nobody is a hundred percent happy with, which is partly why the most popular presidents of the last fifty years, who got much, but not all, of their agendas was Reagan and Clinton. There are people who called him Raygun and thought he sold America to the highest bidder, and people who called the other one Slick Willie and are certain that Whitewater is where he and Hillary drowned Vince Foster, but they worked with people with whom they had disagreements and didn’t say they should leave the country, as Allen West did. I don’t understand lionizing someone who is ineffective because totally disrespectful. I get negative campaigning to win a seat, but once you’re there, you have to sit with the people on the other side. Calling the other side corporate shills or Communists may sound good to staunch supporters, but it doesn’t get the job done. Maybe Allen West is better suited to a Clear Channel or Fox News slot, but he lost his seat in Congress. Murphy might be a fiscal conservative for all anyone knows. Maybe he can be a good Congressman. Allen West has a lame duck session to finish. But I can’t see how his manner served the cause if it cost $17 million to lose his seat. I just don’t see it.
Calling communists communists is called honesty and clear vision, and it’s necessary in order to achieve anything. If nobody calls communists communists then people who aren’t paying attention don’t know, and assume that their elected congressmen are decent people. How should they know, if nobody dares to tell them because it wouldn’t be polite?
Because that hyperbole is ineffective and lost him the race?
And if you don’t know the difference between a communist and a liberal, and really don’t understand the value of learning, you’ll vote for other patronizing losers.
And if the left doesn’t know the difference between conservatives and fascists, they will vote for patronizing losers.
The CPC are not liberals, they are communists. And if nobody dares say so, people won’t know. Pretending a poisonous snake is a harmless grass snake is not a good idea.
We need lots more Allen Wests.
He could have won if he had gone & shot George Zimmerman.
There has been talk of trying to interest Congressman West in running in a different district if not a different state.
He is too good to retire from the fight.
He said that after uprooting his family so many times throughout the years, he would not do that again.
That would help keep him in the ‘Game’, VF. Many of us cons here in Florida wanted the Colonel to run against the useless & loathsome Bill Nelson for senate. We believed he could hand Nelson his head. Allen resisted it on the grounds–mostly–of needing another term in the House to earn the stripes and better ‘root the relationships. DAMMIT.
So, the far weaker candidate, Connie Mack, lost handily and we’re stuck with the feckless Nelson for 6-More Years! )-:
Further on the redistricting subject, the thoroughly despicable Alan Grayson, whom we kicked out in 2010, WON a new seat in Central Florida this time. GRRRrrrrrrrr…!
Grayson is proof that sanity is not a pre-requisite to holding elected office in this country.
Then again, there are Pelosi, Reid, Franken…….
..Senators ‘Mam Boxer, Pat’Leaky’Leahy, Patty Murray, Bill Nelson…and so many, many more.
The only silver lining I can find in the Nov 6 presidential election was the picture of Obama’s tears of sorrow during his final election’s final campaign event.
He can’t defeat Father Time or term limits as I pointed out in a blog post at iReport in 2008 following his win. He will fade into history and nothing anyone can do can alter that fact.
The leftist commenters on that article didn’t like that very much. Apparently they want a for-life socialist anti-American US president.
[…] Seems West conceded. There is a line between what you know and what you can prove. West’s people decided they […]
One of the things I’m thankful for each Thanksgiving…in the face of so much else…is the kind of people this nation still produces.
Col. West is one of those. So are the young men and women who serve in uniform. There is a lot right with a nation that produces people of their caliber.
So, I thank Col. West, his family, our service members, and the families of all those serving.
Love Allen West, but going forward, all he’s going to do is talk to a small and mostly Republican audience.
So, paper bayonets for everyone – you can pick red, white, or blue. Or for a small donation of just $5, you can get one in a likeness of the American flag.
Freedom. Justice. Liberty.
The Founders knew these concepts; they literally fought for them.
With their honor. With their blood.
And often their lives.
And then set about to insure that Freedom, Justice and Liberty would reign not only for them, but, far more importantly, for their children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
For US.
The insurance? The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, two of the most profound expressions of Liberty, Justice and Freedom in the history of mankind.
The Founders would not recognize America today. They would not understand how their struggles for OUR freedom could have been so easily forgotten.
LTC West is an honorable man, fighting for Liberty, Justice and Freedom, not for himself, but for his children, and his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.
For US.
West is a Warrior. West is a Patriot.
He is, in my opinion, an American hero.
I’ve followed the voting fiasco down in St. Lucie County, Florida very closely. Justice has NOT prevailed, and yet another election has been stolen from the American people.
Tyranny reigns, as Liberty withers on the vine.
These are dark times for America. I smell hard rain.
I don’t believe West would have conceded if he thought there was a way to win here. He doesn’t back down from a fight, so I trust his judgement on this.
Where can we make the most of his talents? Head of the RNC? Is it too late for him to replace Boehner as Speaker? Any ideas?
West is a free agent now. His “loss” in Florida may ultimately prove to be the best thing that could of happened.
It’s time for the Tea Party to become a truly viable alternative to the Dems and Reps. Yes, I know the Tea Party is already viable to you and me, but it’s time to take us to the next level: It’s time for the Tea Party to stand on equal footing with the others.
We’ve got four years to take back America. I can easily envision West and Palin joining forces and becoming our team in 2016. Both of them have the value set AND the “charisma” to not only win our votes, but, more importantly, win the votes of well-intentioned Americans who might otherwise hold their nose and vote Republican.
We have at least two-and-a-half enemies standing in the way: The Dems, Pravda USA, and much (most?) of the Republican party.
This is war, and it’s time for the Tea Party to get our knuckles bloody. It’s time to restore our Constitutional Republic. It’s time for our next leaders to step up and rally the troops, and the nation.
It’s time for West and Palin to go “All In!” for 2016, and for you and I to stand with them. We can do this. We MUST do this. This, I fear, is our last chance.
With respect,
IAP
Just as crony capitalism creates barriers to entry to stifle competition the Democratic and Republican Parties have created a system which resists the formation of a viable third party. If the TEA Party sympathizers can’t figure out how to take control of the Republican Party, how can they manage to do anything with a third party?
The moderate Republicans support open primaries knowing that Democrats will support them and defeat conservatives.
Stop this start-a-third-party-and-Divide-and-conquer-for-the-Dems nonsense. You’ll make it even more difficult for local candidates EVERYWHERE who are prepping for 2014 and 2016. If you don’t like how things are, then run for precinct captain in your local republican groups so that you will have a say in shaping the party.
Thanks for the feedback. I agree, in part, about the divide-and-conquer the Reps via a third party thing. However, I’ve lost all faith in the Republican party, and I don’t see anyone on the horizon who can “fix” the party.
I *think* a very powerful Tea Party ticket, announced perhaps the day after the inauguration in January, could be strong enough to actually win the Pres/VP election in 2016.
Keep in mind this is just one person’s opinion; I don’t pretend to speak for anyone but myself.
I think a third party CAN be a viable entity, but ONLY if the leaders of the party are absolute rock stars, so to speak, able to not only excite OUR passion, but that of a weary nation, as well.
I *think* West and Palin are two such people. With them, I believe that instead of dividing the Republican party and handing a win to the dems, we could actually garner enough votes to win the 2016 election outright.
Yeah, there’s a lot of wishful thinking in there. Go large or go home is one of my favorites credos.
Again, I don’t pretend to speak for anyone else, and my “dourness” is a direct result of how damned frustrated I am with our current state of affairs. After R&R had their chances stolen, I had high hopes that Allen West would fare better in his fight down in Florida.
Yet, once again, the bastards “win” and we’re left trying to figure out how to overcome massive corruption from not only the dems but the frikkin’ media, as well.
IMO, the Republican party is very, very weak right now, and it just galls me to hear ANY talk from “our” politicians about leaning towards the left to try to pick up a voter or two.
IMO we need staunch conservatives representing us, folks who are not embarrassed to state their reverence for the Constitution and the Founders, folks who by their passion and conviction can perhaps ignite such a firestorm of conservatism that we can FINALLY take back our country.
Sorry for the long rant, and sorry to anyone who may be offended by my words and opinions. I feel like everyone here on LI must be on the same side and that we should all be able to speak freely.
Thanks again for the feedback; sorry for any typos.
IAP
The comments at Politico about this are chock full of “gracious winner” responses. Racist?…/s
To the “thumbs down’ers” above, that’s all well and good, but it really doesn’t further the discussion or advance our cause. At least have the decency to explain why the vote of no confidence, instead of just saying, “You suck.”
Don’t like West?
Don’t like Palin?
Don’t think they’d make an awesome ticket in 2016?
Or???
It’s pretty easy to punch the ‘dislike’ icon, but how does that help us win back our Republic?
IAP
II don’t do dislikes but here is my reaction.
One – you are not the only patriot.
Two -You are dogmatic,
Three -You have appropriated both Palin & West & misrepresent them. Let them speak for themselves. they do not belong to your fantasies.
Four -you appear to be a very dour & humorless person.
>> One – you are not the only patriot.
I never said, or implied, that I am. I assume that we’re ALL Patriots here.
>> Two -You are dogmatic,
I don’t follow you – ???
>>>Three -You have appropriated both Palin & West & misrepresent them.
Disagree on both counts.
>>Let them speak for themselves.
Is this not a place for discussion amongst ourselves? I’d LOVE for them to come here and speak to us directly. Until then…
>>they do not belong to your fantasies.
Again, I don’t follow you.
>>Four -you appear to be a very dour & humorless person.
The same could be said about you, but in so saying I wouldn’t accomplish anything.
Would it help if I added a 🙂 ?
Abraham Lincoln served one term in Congress, and then he became the first successful nominee of the Republican party. May it be so with Allen West if he so chooses.
More important: will there be a criminal investigation of the people who blatantly broke the law by preventing Republican watchers from seeing the copying of damaged ballots? And of those who illegally excluded R watchers from PA precincts? What can be done to bring these people to account? Because if nothing bad happens to them then why on earth shouldn’t they do it again next time?
Quote-
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. ”
“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”
~Winston Churchill~
Quote-
“Let us be sure that those who come after will say… we did everything that could be done.”
You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”
Freedom … must be fought for, protected, and handed on for [our children] to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children, what it was once like where men were free.
There can be no real peace while one American is dying some place in the world for the rest of us. We’re at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind … and … if we lose that war, and in so doing lose this way of freedom of ours, history will record … that those who had the most to lose did the least to prevent its happening.”
~President Ronald Wilson Reagan~
In other words -the fight and battles won and lost in the interim, do not represent the final outcome, thus in the end Good shall prevail over evil, and the evil that is Socialist Marxist Islamist anti-American tyranny rule over America, must and will, ultimately be defeated.