Nearly a year after leaving the GOP out of disgust over his colleagues’ rigid fealty to President Donald Trump, Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) announced on Thursday night that he will not be running for reelection in November.
“I love representing our community in Congress. I always will,” Amash tweeted. This is my choice, but I’m still going to miss it.”
The congressman’s announcement signals a final chapter in his dizzying political career path in the Trump era, given that he had previously toyed with a potential presidential bid as a Libertarian candidate to the point of launching an exploratory committee in late April before dropping the endeavor less than a month later.
The Cook Political Report rates Amash’s seat in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District as “Lean Republican.” There are currently six GOP candidates in the race.
Before switching to the Libertarian Party on July 4 last year, Amash had drawn national attention earlier in the year as the only Republican lawmaker to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on his Russia investigation was released.
Trump responded to Amash’s criticism by repeatedly bashing the lawmaker via Twitter.
“A total loser!” the President tweeted after Amash announced his departure from the GOP.
Yes, because that’s how grown adults speak. Totally normal for the President to engage in name-calling. For a moment I thought that was written by a high school freshman.
The grace and eloquence of the Don on any subject continues to be a modern day version of the “will-o-the - wisp.” …Amash shows honesty and integrity…his former party is unfamiliar with those concepts.
Classy. And a great representation of the type of person we need in the most revered office in the land. Thank goodness he doesn’t wear tanned suits.
I disagree with a lot of Amash’s policies and positions, but I have to give him credit from trying to swim upstream while the rest of his Party was going down. This is IMO sad news to read he is leaving his seat because he had the nerve to be courageous in speaking out against the asshole we have in office now.
#Biden2020
Very sad for Michigan. Amash was the rare Conservative that actually THOUGHT. As with many of our states, we now have TRUMPster Republicans and Democrats. Good luck, Justin.
Fun:
https://twitter.com/Redistrict/status/1284106649259712518
Although, leans and toss-up districts don’t translate into wins by themselves, I hope people have a ground game with all that money. Otherwise it’s just going to be a chorus of “purpler than ever” after November which is only fun the first couple of times they say it.