Rep. West accuses Florida Democrats of 'nefarious actions' in early voting
By Geneva Sands
- 11/05/12
Allen West video....
thehill.com
The Florida congressman blasted Democrats for what he said was a refusal to communicate with Republicans in one county, and a one-sided decision to allow voters to hand in absentee ballots in person in another county.
"[I] think you're starting to see some nefarious actions already coming from the other side, because there's been an incredible turn out from Republicans voters on the early voting down here in Florida," West said on "Fox and Friends."
The Florida Democratic Party sued to extend early voting after long lines kept people waiting for hours to vote and prevented others from casting ballots, reported The New York Times. Some counties allowed voters to request and drop off absentee ballots. In Orange County, which includes Orlando, a judge ruled to extend early voting on Sunday after a suspicious package forced the polling station at the Winter Park library to close, according to the Times.
When asked about the long waits to vote, West said that he, his wife and eldest daughter cast their ballots last week.
"It took us about an hour and a half, two hours last week. So I think that you have the options of absentee ballots, the early voting and also going out on Election Day, and I think you're starting to see some shenanigans already taking place," he said.
The congressman said that he felt "quite secure" that Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney will win Florida's electoral votes.
He pointed to Florida's high number of home foreclosures and high unemployment rate as reasons voters will lean toward Romney.
He also echoed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who spoke earlier on Fox News, telling viewers that Floridians are "very upset" with the president and the administration over the handling of the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that left four Americans dead.
"[T]hey don't feel that we have a commander-in-chief that's going to protect our men and women in uniform, and Florida has a lot of veterans that are going to be voting," he added. |
