Posted on 05/20/2011 1:11:30 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Tea Party congressman underwhelmed by current Republican presidential field By Michael O'Brien - 05/20/11 02:45 PM ET
The current crop of Republican presidential candidates is "lukewarm" and unexciting, said Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a Tea Party darling.
West, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Florida, badmouthed the 2012 field of GOP hopefuls while noting that he himself would not be seeking the presidency.
"I've got to tell you that no one is really exciting anyone out there right now," West told the conservative website Newsmax in an interview posted late Thursday. "I think by September, October, maybe we'll see a front-runner. But right now, you know, kind of lukewarm."
West said he "couldn't say right now" if he had any favorites, and that his only focus was on seeking reelection to his House seat next fall.
West's words might sound disappointing to someone like former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), a potential presidential candidate who helped propel West to his congressional nomination with a key endorsement just before the primary.
The political action committees of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) each eventually endorsed and donated to West, too, but not until later in the process, and much closer to Election Day.
West appeared at an event in Florida earlier this year with Donald Trump, who withdrew from seeking the GOP nomination last week. West credited Trump with setting a faster pace for the other Republican candidates.
"I think that he tried to get people to come out of their comfort zones, but you still have a pretty 'blah' atmosphere out there," West said.
“NOBODY has ever suggested that medical requirements to save a woman’s life should be abolished (unless of course the requirement is a basic necessity like food and water, in which case the libertarians just want the woman murdered).”
Well said!
I’m very excited about Bachmann, Santorum, Palin and Cain, and given a little more time, I think many pro-life, conservatives will join me. (I do wish Cain would talk more about the life issue, though, as he is pro-life).
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