Have We Seen the Last of Antigay Allen West?

Allen West, Patrick Murphy

It's still not for certain that Tea Party favorite Allen West has been voted out of office, but his LGBT-supportive opponent is claiming victory.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Patrick Murphy leads West, 50.4% to 49.6% in Florida's 18th district. Separating them are only 2,456 votes. West is demanding a recount.

West is running for a second term and is known for his outlandish statements. He once said that people don’t get fired for being gay, so antidiscrimination laws are unnecessary. He opposed repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” on the grounds that gay and lesbian service members “can change their behavior,” adding that repeal was the first step in a process that would eventually “break down the military.”

Another West gem: “The term ‘gay marriage’ is an oxymoron,” and with its legalization, along with abortion and the national debt, “it just becomes a matter of time before you don’t have society.”

Murphy is for marriage equality and the right of gay couples to adopt, and he opposes workplace discrimination.