Rep. Allen West’s take no prisoners attitude has contributed to his strong popularity with Tea Party members and has garnered him national attention.
His latest ad showcasing Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy’s mug shot from a Feb. 16, 2003 arrest for verbally assaulting a policeman and being arrested for getting into in a bar fight is no exception.
It contrasts Murphy’s arrest with West’s military service, noting that the Congressman was preparing his troops for deployment to war while his opponent was causing a ruckus.
“Two men, a country in crisis. You decide,” the ad concludes.
Murphy’s campaign responded, noting that West faced criminal sanctions for firing his pistol in the air next to a captured Iraqi insurgent, noting he cut a deal to retire and avoid sanctions.
“The only reason he was able to escape prosecution is because he cut a deal to retire. Unfortunately, West’s unstable behavior has continued in Congress, and he continues to diminish the office and the people to which he serves,” Murphy’s campaign said in a statement.
According to The Palm Beach Post, West’s internal polling shows him leading Murphy by a 52-41 percent margin
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-lDL9_qDDs&w=560&h=315]
