“You know what I really equate the Democrats to right now?” West said. “Remember how the adults used to sound on the Charlie Brown special? That’s what they sound like.”

What effect all of this will have on Republicans generally, or West specifically, in 2012 is not clear. GOP officials in Washington admit they would rather talk about the economy and creating jobs than have a debate over Medicare and Medicaid for the next 18 months, territory that is usually ripe for Democrats…

Even West acknowledges that a presidential election year in 2012 will likely draw a different type of voter than those who sent him to Washington with 54 percent of the vote over the incumbent Rep. Ron Klein, a Democrat. The district is almost guaranteed to change after Florida’s Republican-controlled redistricting alters the state’s political boundaries…

“South Florida voters know those aren’t the right priorities and as long as Allen West chooses Big Oil over Medicare, seniors and middle class voters are going to choose Democrats in the next election,” said Jesse Benton, the spokesman for the DCCC.