Austin (1080 KRLD) - Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West has submitted his resignation. West became chair in July 2020.
West served one term in Congress from Florida from 2011 to 2013. He moved to Texas and announced in 2019 he would challenge James Dickey to become the state's Republican Party chair.
Since becoming chair, West has criticized Governor Greg Abbott's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the governor should not have imposed a mask requirement or limits to business occupancy.
During the legislative session that ended Monday, West criticized Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, saying Patrick and Senate Republicans "tried to kill" a measure allowing permitless carry of handguns. The bill passed, and Abbott says he will sign the measure.
Meeting with reporters Friday, West was asked if he planned to challenge Abbott, Patrick or another lawmaker in the Republican primary ahead of the 2022 election.
"That's one of the things I'll have to go to the Lord in prayer," West said. "I would be very disingenuous with so many people that have asked me to consider something. You don't disrespect the grassroots people. You don't disrespect Texans."
West said it has been his "distinct honor to serve as Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas."
"I would rather be able to step aside from this and focus and continue on in service, maybe in a different way," he said. "I don't want to have a conflict of interest, focusing on that and not being able to fully give myself, 110%, to the Republican Party of Texas."
"Lt. Col. Allen West will take this opportunity to prayerfully reflect on a new chapter in his already distinguished career. We know that wherever he goes next, he will continue to be a bulwark against progressive socialism and a champion for the principles of Texas and our American Republic," the Texas Republican Party wrote in a statement.
State Senator Don Huffines has already said he would run against Abbott in the Republican primary. Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says he is considering a run as well.
Will Busby, communications director for the Dallas County Republican Party, says contested primaries do not amount to division within the party.
"Republicans have always been passionate, and Republicans believe in leading from the bottom-up," he says. "You see passion, regardless of where you stand in the GOP on any issue, whether you're moderate or you're conservative. Republicans are passionate, and they think for themselves. I think our party is extremely united. I think our party is very strong going into 2022, especially after all the positive work we saw this legislative session."
Busby says the legislature succeeded in sending bills to the governor allowing permit-less carry of guns, banning abortion after a heartbeat is detected and funding education and health care.
"The legislature worked hard. They listened to a lot of testimony, and they worked long hours to make sure those issues that are important to Texans were taken care of," he says.
The Texas legislature sent a $248 billion budget to Abbott. The governor has said he would veto funding for the legislative branch because some priorities were not passed.
"No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities," Abbott tweeted Monday.
The budget for the next two years is almost $14 billion less than the budget for 2020 and 2021.
Busby says the legislature worked to pass a "fiscally responsible" budget despite a drop in revenue because of the pandemic.
"It wasn't something you could plan for, but the legislature responded, and they responded appropriately," he says. "We're still able to fund public education. We're still able to fund health care. Our economic stabilization fund, the Rainy Day Fund, has been taken care of very well, and we are still able to fund everything appropriately. I think Texas is a model for how the rest of the nation should go."
Texas GOP says West will remain as the party's chair until a replacement can be selected at a meeting on July 11.
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