DCCC releases attack ads against Allen West

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today released attack ads aimed at Rep. Allen West, R-Fort Lauderdale. The ads blame the failure of the so-called congressional “Super Committee” on Republicans like West and accused him of “demanding more tax breaks for billionaires.”

According to The Palm Beach Post, the DCCC  ”unleashed the robo-calls today, and the campaign also includes live telephone calls, online ads and a website for voters to fill out letters to the editor today, according to a release issued by the DCCC.”

“The calls are supposed to start going out to voters in West’s district that includes Palm Beach County today,” the Post reports.

West’s reelection bid is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the country. West, a tea party favorite, is a firebrand on the right who is known for his extreme rhetoric, making him a favorite in right-wing circles and an easy target for the left.

West earned national criticism for an aggressive email he sent to his colleague, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Pembroke Pines. In his message, he called Wasserman Schultz — the current chair of the Democratic National Committee — “vile, unprofessional, and despicable,” “a coward,” “characterless” and “not a Lady.” He demanded that she “shut the heck up.” He has also called supporters of President Obama “a threat to the gene pool” and said that liberal women “neutering American men” were to blame for the country’s growing debt.

One of his Democratic opponents, Patrick Murphy, has already begun presenting his candidacy as a foil to West’s “extremism.”

A lot of money is expected to be raised for West’s reelection campaign, on both sides. His election in 2010 was among the most expensive House races that year.

West’s campaign is also complicated by the fact that Florida is redrawing its congressional districts for the next election. While the first proposal has been released, it is still too early to tell where exactly West’s district will lie.