Texas GOP Party chair Allen West announced that he’s taking on incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for Texas’ top political seat on the Fourth of July.

“I’ve not been in elected political office for about a decade, but I can no longer sit on the sidelines and see what has happened in these United States of America,” West said in a video on Sunday.

He plans to protect the Lone Star state’s legacy by refusing to be subjugated to the Green New Deal and staying energy independent, protecting the border to ensure “Texas is for Texans,” and putting an end to human trafficking.   

“Because the sovereignty of Texas has been threatened when you have 1,200 miles that you share with a foreign nation that is really destabilized and controlled by a criminal terrorist organization in the cartels,” he remarked. “We’ve got to do better and take responsibility as Texas and not wait and make ourselves dependent upon the federal government, and especially this administration.”

West launched his campaign nearly a month after he tendered his resignation as the state party chairman, which will go in effect on July 11, when the State Republican Executive Committee will choose his successor.  

“I think that it is time for Republicans to stand by the principles of values that they say they believe,” he said in an interview. “As the Republican governor of Texas, I will abide by the platform and the priorities of the Republican Party of Texas.”

He joins fellow Republicans former senator Don Huffines and comedian Chad Prather in the fight to unseat Abbott, who has already been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

West isn’t worried about the competition. “I’m not running against anybody. I’m running for Texas,” he commented.