Allen West Wins Congressional Seat, Voters to Deal With Unsettling Two Years

By Lisa Rab Wed., Nov. 3 2010 at 6:18 AM

Categories: Breaking News, Politics

Here he comes.

Well, it's only two years. But with Allen West serving as the congressman for the coastal congressional District 22 that spans Broward and Palm Beach counties, those years could be rather unsettling. Here's a brief rundown of his resume:

1. Resigned from the Army after being accused of mistreating an Iraqi prisoner during an interrogation. Lt. Col.West admitted to putting the man's head in a barrel and firing a gun into the barrel.

2. Supports drilling for oil off the South Florida coast. (B.P. Who?)

3. Trained Muslim fighters while working for a private defense contractor in Afghanistan, yet....

4. Has been very blunt about his feelings about Islam: "A nation goes to war against an
ideology. We are against something that is a totalitarian, theocratic, political ideology, and it is called Islam," he said.

If you went to bed last night thinking moderate minds would prevail in this district that shifted from red to blue four years ago, the disappointment will be bitter. And Katherine Harris had nothing to do with it.

One more nugget to swallow with your Allen West wake-up call: The onetime underdog raised more than $5.5 million to get elected -- one of the most expensive races in the country. His Tea Party backers must be so proud of that prudent expenditure.