FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sheriff Bob Crowder to Allen West: Man Up

Wests refusal to participate in debate, disrespectful behavior shows his true colorshint: its yellow Palm City, FL (June 19, 2012) Something is amiss. Republican Congressman Allen West has a multi-million dollar fundraising machine in full swing as he tries to secure Floridas new District 18 congressional seat covering Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach counties. He is a national Tea Party darling. He has endorsements from two of the three local Republic Executive Committees in St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. West is a strong public speaker. So why has Allen West refused to debate his Republican challenger, Bob Crowder, who has served as Martin County popular Sheriff for the last 20 years? Despite the huge war chest accumulated for this race by my opponent, with most of his money coming from outside the District and beyond Florida, there seems to be a growing fear of our grassroots campaign, said Crowder. Is Allen West afraid? The Palm Beach Post recently extended an offer to host a live televised debate between the two Republican Candidates for the new congressional District 18. The Republican primary, on August 14, is when Republican voters will be able to select their preferred candidate to run against the Democrat in the general election in November. The Post thought voters deserved to hear where the candidates stand on the issues. Republican Bob Crowder agreed. Allen West declined, saying that he wont participate in any debates until after the primary. Crowder believes the refusal to debate is part of the broken system of radical party politics. My sole reason for running was to give people a choice in who will represent them in congress, Crowder said. The people deserve to hear where we stand on the issues so they can make an informed decision based on a legitimate debate process. Right now, Mr. West is only offering voters slick television advertisements that he paid a quarter of a million dollars to air. Voters deserve more than an advertising campaign. Crowder recently experienced an even more disturbing facet of Wests character after Saturdays gathering of the St. Lucie County Republican Executive Committee (REC) for what was supposed to be the candidates interview to determine who the REC would endorse for the primary election.

As I left the meeting, I spotted Mr. West sitting in the back of the room and approached him, extending my hand to him in the spirit of goodwill one military man to another one candidate to another, Crowder said. It was a gesture that, away from the spotlight, and with no need to be on good behavior, West blatantly snubbed. He crossed his arms across his chest, looked away and replied, No thanks.

How can we expect a man like that to accomplish anything meaningful in Washington, D.C. when he cant even shake hands and be respectful of a political opponent during the Republican primary? Crowder added. His behavior is shameful and exemplifies the kind of divisiveness that is causing political gridlock and hurting our country. Added to the refusal to participate in a live debate against Crowder, is the unusual action on the part of the local Republican Executive Committees (RECs) to endorse candidates before the primary. After years of not offering endorsements until the general election, this clearly reeks of party politics and is retribution for my occasional unwillingness to bow to party orders and decisions and be an independent thinker. Bob Crowder, the only local Republican candidate running for the congressional seat, was disappointed in the actions of the RECs. "Normally, parties stay out of it until the people determine who the candidate will be," Crowder said. Their actions before the primary are a clear indication that they want to tell people how to vote and it goes against the grain of our democracy. I have been a member of the Republican Party for 30 years and am deeply troubled by the ultra-radical, right wing fringe that has taken over my party. Allen West is their poster child." Crowder has been Sheriff of Martin County for almost 20 years and served as Undersheriff in St. Lucie County from 1985 to 1992. He has been a public servant, living and working in Martin and St. Lucie counties for his entire professional career. Crowder is the only local Republican candidate running for the Congressional seat with the qualifications and expertise in successfully balancing budgets while keeping costs down, and knows how to build loyalty and work across party lines to achieve goals. For more information go to www.CrowderForCongress, "like" Crowder on Facebook at facebook.com/crowderforcongress or call 772-618-1787. ### Paid for by Robert L. Crowder for Congress