Trump-Critic Justin Amash Joins GOP Michigan Senate Primary: Best ‘Positioned’ to Win Primary And General Election
(Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
Former Republican Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) officially entered the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate in Michigan on Thursday, despite having officially left the GOP in 2019. Amash served ten years in Congress and switched party affiliation from Republican to Independent in his last term in office after having voted to impeach former President Donald Trump – of whom he was a fierce critic.
Amash announced his Senate bid on X in a lengthy statement that did not mention the GOP presidential frontrunner.
“After thoroughly evaluating all aspects of a potential campaign, I’m convinced that no candidate would be better positioned to win both the Republican primary and the general election. That’s why, today, I’m making it official: I’m joining the race for United States Senate in Michigan,” wrote Amash in his statement, adding:
The past few years away from Congress have given me time to reflect on the experiences that have shaped my life, the principles of liberty that inspire me, and what my tenure in Congress meant to the people of my community.
My parents arrived in the United States as teenagers in search of a better future—my father, a Palestinian refugee, and my mother, a Syrian immigrant. They instilled in me a love for America and for the values and principles at the heart of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Amash went on to tout his independent record and argued, “I feel an obligation to get back to this work, but the circumstances of this upcoming election give it urgency.”
“Regardless of who wins the White House and Congress, the United States will remain deeply polarized. What we need is not a rubber stamp for either party, but an independent-minded senator prepared to challenge anyone and everyone on the people’s behalf—someone focused not on extending federal power so Republicans or Democrats in Washington can achieve their political ends, but on ensuring that Americans have the personal and economic freedom to pursue their own ends,” he added. Amash has also aligned himself with the Libertarian Party in recent years.
He also took a swipe at Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), writing, “The advantage is ours in this battle, but that doesn’t mean victory will be easy. Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate, Mike Rogers, has built his career on expanding the power of the state at the expense of individual liberty, and the establishment will stop at nothing to get him elected.”
Amash and Rogers will face another former Congressman, Peter Meijer, and businessman Sandy Pensler in the crowded primary to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
