Running for Congress(From Afghanistan?)

Florida 22nd news from today's Palm Beach Post-

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen West will try to redefine long-distance campaigning if he launches a Republican congressional bid for the nationally coveted Palm Beach-Broward seat of freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein.

West says he'll announce his plans next week, then take off for a final five-month stint in Afghanistan, where he has been working for two years as a contractor advising the Afghan military.

If West runs, he says he's prepared to conduct crucial early fund-raising, organizing and communications from roughly 8,000 miles away in Kandahar. He's been talking with Palm Beach Gardens-based consultant Donna Brosemer about setting up a campaign Web site and e-mail account that will allow him to post blog entries, respond to e-mails and hit up contributors.

West, 46, drew national attention in 2003 after he fired a pistol near the head of an Iraqi detainee to try to scare him into divulging time-sensitive information about a planned ambush of U.S. forces. The Army relieved West of his command and fined him $5,000. He retired after 20 years of service and received an honorable discharge.

West said he received thousands of e-mails from around the U.S. after the incident, nearly all of them supportive.

TFM blogged about Colonel West's candidacy previously here. I'm sure that surrogates can raise money for West's campaign while he is Afghanistan.

I wish Colonel West well,(TFM knows nothing of his political views yet. My blog readers know I'm not an automatic vote for a candidate for either party. Remember I'm a registered Democrat) but am very skeptical about the GOP's chances of winning back this house seat for the immediate future. The Florida 22nd district as drawn will always given the incumbent a big advantage.

Linked to- Amboy Times, Right Wing Nation, Yankee Sailor,