That wasn’t the last sign that Sessions was ill-suited for campaigning. A month after his defeat, Sessions whined to the Dallas News about the “incredible amount of money and an overwhelming sense of mischaracterization” he felt was used against him. Sessions, who had served in the House for 22 years and helmed the GOP’s House campaign arm twice, also complained that it was the fault of the “Democratic Party and their allies who smeared” him as a D.C. insider. He also derided the many critical ads that targeted him as “shenanigans” and kvetched, “They did that to harm me.” Yeah, that’s what negative ads are meant to do.

Considering how he performed during and after the 2018 campaign, Sessions may be Allred’s ideal opponent, but there may actually be someone worse lurking around the corner. Jeffers writes that national Republicans have “expressed interest” in former Florida Rep. Allen West, who has lived in Texas for the last four years. West, who went on to serve on the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which reviews the efficiency and operations of state agencies, hasn’t said anything about his interest. Last year West briefly considered running for the neighboring 5th District, a safely red seat being vacated by Jeb Hensarling, but he didn’t go for it.

Back in Florida, West was a huge tea party favorite who had a knack for finding unique ways to be offensive. To take just a few examples, West declared, that if Nazi propagandist "Joseph Goebbels was around, he'd be very proud of the Democrat party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine," and said that "when I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool." West lost his House seat in a very close race in 2012 even as Mitt Romney was narrowly carrying it, and while he eventually conceded, West charged that "many questions remain unanswered" about the vote totals.

And, of course, West has only gotten worse in the Trump era. In December, he shared a Facebook meme about James Mattis, who was Trump's first secretary of Defense, captioned, "Fired by Obama to please the Muslims. Hired by Trump to exterminate them." West also launched a transphobic attack on Pennsylvania Physician General Rachel Levine in 2016. West remains popular in the far-right media sphere, and if he ran, he'd probably have no trouble sucking in donations. However, he’s probably not the ideal GOP candidate to take on Allred in a competitive seat that doesn’t seem to be getting any friendlier for Team Red.

Jeffers also writes that another politician reportedly being eyed by national Republicans is former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne, who currently serves in Trump’s Housing Department, but there’s also no word on her interest. She also may not be such a great recruit, though, since none of Irving is located in this seat. Most of the city is in Texas’ 24th District, where Jeffers says that Van Duyne has also been mentioned as a possible candidate to eventually succeed GOP Rep. Kenny Marchant departs, while the balance is in the safely blue 33rd District.

Jeffers also adds that other names “tossed about in the aftermath of Allred's victory include” former state Rep. Dan Branch and state Reps. Angie Chen Button and Morgan Meyer. There’s also no indication if any of this trio are interested.

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