Allen West, unvaccinated Republican running for governor in Texas, has Covid
Allen West, a former Republican congressman running for governor in Texas, said he was hospitalised with Covid-19 on Sunday – but reported that he was “doing great”.
The Tea Party favorite and Texas secessionist, who has not been vaccinated, also wrote on Twitter that if elected, he would “vehemently crush anyone forcing vaccine mandates” in Texas.
West tested positive with his wife, Angela, after a political fundraiser in Seabrook last week. Angela West has been vaccinated. Allen West “has publicly stated he supports individual choice and this is reflected in his own family”, a tweet said.
West said he and his wife received treatment with monoclonal antibodies.
While Angela West was released, her husband was admitted to Medical City hospital in Plano, a Dallas suburb, on Saturday night, hours after tweeting that he was suspending in-person events because he had pneumonia.
In a separate tweet, West, 60, said he had taken the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine and the anti-parasitic ivermectin, also a popular animal dewormer. Neither drug is approved for the treatment of Covid-19.
On Sunday morning, West announced on Twitter that he “had a great night’s sleep” in hospital and was awaiting the result of an X-ray.
“No complaints,” West told the Associated
Press. “I’m just relaxing.”
The retired US army lieutenant colonel, who served one two-year term as a congressman from Florida before failing to win re-election in 2012, has become a vocal opponent of Covid-19 restrictions.
He used his contracting of the virus to attack vaccine mandates and promote controversial pseudo-treatments.
“After this experience I am even more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates,” he wrote. “Instead of enriching the pockets of Big Pharma and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, we should be advocating the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy.
“As governor of Texas, I will vehemently crush anyone forcing vaccine mandates in the Lone Star State.”
West resigned as chair of the Texas Republican party in July, after less than a year in office, to announce his challenge to the Republican incumbent, Greg Abbott.
During his spell as chair he spent much time criticising Abbott and members of his own party, calling the Republican speaker of the Texas House a “traitor” for working with Democrats and leading an October 2020 protest at the governor’s mansion against now-expired mask mandates and lockdowns.