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 percent.<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 percent.<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. To win the state Republican chairmanship, he unseated the four-year incumbent, [[James Dickey]] of [[Austin]], 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, effective July 11, 2021, West resigned 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 many believe could virtually guarantee a Democrat flip of the governorship by the leftist candidate [[Beto O'Rourke]].

West left Florida after his congressional defeat and relocated to Texas. To win the state Republican chairmanship, he unseated the four-year incumbent, [[James Dickey]] of [[Austin]], 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, effective July 11, 2021, West resigned 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 many believe could virtually guarantee a Democrat flip of the governorship by the leftist candidate [[Beto O'Rourke]]. Meanwhile, Allred is opposing U.S. Senator [[Ted Cruz]] in Cruz's bid for a third term in 2024.

After West ran for governor, Abbott suddenly agreed to spend state funds to complete gaps in the border wall, as West had called upon him to do.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehayride.com/2021/06/allen-west-to-resign-as-texas-gop-chairman-will-he-seek-higher-office/|title=Allen West To Resign As Texas GOP Chairman: ‘Prayerfully Considering’ Run For Governor|author=Andy Hogue|date=June 4, 2021|publisher=Thehayride.com|accessdate=June 11, 2021}}</ref>

After West ran for governor, Abbott suddenly agreed to spend state funds to complete gaps in the border wall, as West had called upon him to do.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehayride.com/2021/06/allen-west-to-resign-as-texas-gop-chairman-will-he-seek-higher-office/|title=Allen West To Resign As Texas GOP Chairman: ‘Prayerfully Considering’ Run For Governor|author=Andy Hogue|date=June 4, 2021|publisher=Thehayride.com|accessdate=June 11, 2021}}</ref>