From slave roots to Senate race: Allen West bets on Wesley Hunt's Cinderella story

Retired Lt. Col. Allen West, a former Florida congressman and current head of the Dallas County Republican Party, endorsed Wesley Hunt in the Texas GOP Senate race on Thursday, February 19, 2026, calling him a potential 'Cinderella story' candidate in a crowded field. West, who also served as ex-Texas GOP Chair, cast his early vote for Hunt, emphasizing the 44-year-old former Apache helicopter pilot's remarkable journey from slave roots to congressional hopeful. Hunt, a West Point graduate who flew dozens of combat missions over Baghdad, is running against 72-year-old incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and 63-year-old state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a primary election where early voting is already underway and the main contest is set for March 3, with a potential May runoff if no candidate secures a majority. West's endorsement carries particular significance given his history of supporting conservative veterans and minorities through his Guardian Fund PAC, established during his congressional tenure in 2011. Despite being largely written off by Washington Republicans and running third in most polls, Hunt has positioned himself as a less polarizing conservative alternative to the more established candidates. The National Republican Senatorial Committee initially dismissed his campaign as a 'vanity project that could cost Republicans control of the Senate,' yet Hunt remains undeterred, arguing that Cornyn's long tenure in Washington has made him too cozy with the establishment while Paxton carries sufficient personal and political baggage to raise questions about his electability. Hunt's unique background as a descendant of slaves who has served his country in both military and political arenas has allowed him to frame himself as an outsider capable of addressing voter frustrations with the current political system. The race has grown increasingly contentious, with both Cornyn and Paxton pouring millions into attack ads targeting Hunt's past support for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. 'Wesley Hunt voted to put Clinton and Obama in the White House, and we can't trust him in the Senate,' declares one pro-Paxton advertisement. In response, Hunt has emphasized his military service and unwavering support for President Trump, noting that while Cornyn had already been a politician for 20 years by the time he graduated from West Point in 2004, he risked his life in combat and stood with Trump from day one. The tension escalated this week when Hunt filed criminal charges against a Cornyn campaign advisor, accusing him of putting Hunt's family at risk by posting unredacted personal documents, including his address, driver's license number, and Social Security number.