Former Texas Republican Party Chair Allen West announced he is going to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott in the GOP primary, CBS DFW reported.
West made the announcement on the Fourth of July at the Sojourn Church in the Dallas suburb of Carrollton, AP News said.
"It's official! I'm all in....Your prayers and well-wishes are appreciated!" West wrote in a July 4 Facebook post.
Gov. Abbott is up for a third term in 2022. He may have little to worry about since he has been endorsed by former Pres. Donald Trump and has raised millions of dollars in political contributions.
West is not without supporters, however, and has earned the approval of Texas Republicans dissatisfied with Abbott's leadership.
"I look forward to Allen joining our efforts to make clear that Texans can do better than Greg Abbott," former Texas State Sen. Don Huffines said, CBS DFW reported. "The open Texas border, skyrocketing property taxes, and leftward cultural shift occurring in our state must end."
West is the second Republican to take on Abbott for the party's nomination. Huffines announced in May that he, too, will be challenging Abbott in the GOP primary, AP News reported.
West resigned as Republican Party chair last month, after serving less than a year. He spent much of his term denouncing Gov. Abbott and fellow Republicans for not being conservative enough, AP News reported.
The former chair also previously held a protest at Abbott’s mansion to denounce the governor's COVID-19 restrictions.
According to his election web site, West says his priorities include addressing border security, eliminating social media censorship, prohibiting abortion-inducing drugs, banning the teaching of critical race theory, achieving energy independence and passing significant tax reform.
A native of Atlanta, West entered active duty service with the U.S. Army on November 1, 1983 and rose to the rank of Battalion Commander before retiring in 2004 after 22 years of service. In 2010, West was elected to represent Florida's 22nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives and served for two years. Later he moved to Texas and was elected Republican Party chair in July 2020.