Changes

[[Liberal]] exploitation of [[early voting]] and questionable ballots caused the [[liberal media]] to insist just as the numbers had likely wrongfully stated that West lost his 2012 reelection bid to Democrat [[Patrick Murphy]] by a mere 0.7%.<ref>[https://ballotpedia.org/Florida%27s_18th_Congressional_District_elections,_2012 Florida's 18th Congressional District elections, 2012]</ref> West contested the election; however, he conceded on November 20, 2012, citing "high evidentiary hurdles."<ref>http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/20/after-recount-west-concedes-in-tight-congressional-race/?hpt=hp_t2</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/11/20/florida-rep-allen-west-concedes/|title=Florida Rep. Allen West concedes|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|date=November 20, 2012|accessdate=November 20, 2012|work=Washington Post}}</ref>

[[Liberal]] exploitation of [[early voting]] and questionable ballots caused the [[liberal media]] to insist just as the numbers had likely wrongfully stated that West lost his 2012 reelection bid to Democrat [[Patrick Murphy]] by a mere 0.7%.<ref>[https://ballotpedia.org/Florida%27s_18th_Congressional_District_elections,_2012 Florida's 18th Congressional District elections, 2012]</ref> West contested the election; however, he conceded on November 20, 2012, citing "high evidentiary hurdles."<ref>http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/20/after-recount-west-concedes-in-tight-congressional-race/?hpt=hp_t2</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/11/20/florida-rep-allen-west-concedes/|title=Florida Rep. Allen West concedes|first=Sean|last=Sullivan|date=November 20, 2012|accessdate=November 20, 2012|work=Washington Post}}</ref>

West left Florida after his congressional defeat and relocated to Texas. He is the new state Republican party chairman, having unseated the four-year incumbent, [[James Dickey]], at the first of the party's two summer conventions in an early morning vote by state senatorial districts on July 20, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/20/allen-west-james-dickey-texas-gop-chairman/|title=Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman: West defeated Dickey, who was running for a second full term, early Monday morning at a tumultuous virtual state convention|author=Patrick Svitek|date=July 20, 2020|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''}}</ref>

West left Florida after his congressional defeat and relocated to Texas. He is the new state Republican party chairman, having unseated the four-year incumbent, [[James Dickey]], at the first of the party's two summer conventions in an early morning vote by state senatorial districts on July 20, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/20/allen-west-james-dickey-texas-gop-chairman/|title=Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman: West defeated Dickey, who was running for a second full term, early Monday morning at a tumultuous virtual state convention|author=Patrick Svitek|date=July 20, 2020|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''}}</ref> However West announced that effective July 11, 2021 he will step down as state GOP chairman; it is believed he plans to run for political office in Texas, either for the 32nd Congressional District (currently held by Democrat Colin Allred; the district is a swing district which leans and is trending Democrat) or to run against Governor [[Greg Abbott]] (a move which, if successful, would virtually guarantee a Democrat flip of the governorship).

==Personal life==

==Personal life==