Former GOP Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) announced on Tuesday night that he was launching an exploratory committee to run for president as a member of the Libertarian Party.
“Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people,” he said in a statement. “We’re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together. I’m excited and honored to be taking these first steps toward serving Americans of every background as president.”
Amash’s decision came a little less than a year after the congressman left the Republican Party in wake of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Trump campaign and Russian election interference.
Prior to officially switching party affiliations, Amash had emerged as the only Republican to support impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
Trump reacted to news of Amash’s potential bid on Wednesday by trolling the congressman and those who fear that a third party run would jeopardize efforts to remove Trump from office.
“No, I think Amash would make a wonderful candidate, especially since he is way behind in his district and has no chance of maintaining his Congressional seat,” the President tweeted, adding that he likes Amash “even more than Jill Stein,” the Green Party candidate who ran in 2016.
this might actually cost Joe Biden Michigan.
Do you want to re-elect Trump, but can’t bring yourself to vote for him? Vote Amash!
I realize that won’t fit on a campaign poster, much less a bumper sticker, but there it is, the only truth you need to know about this fuzzy nut’s quest for more face time,
Is Biden still running?
I couldn’t tell.
Don’t overestimate Amash’s “popularity” among Michigan voters; it isn’t much to warble about.
This should be a good thing, it will pull libertarians away from Trump and give the unfortunate dolts who can’t figure out who to vote for someone else other than Trump. I doubt Amash will take any votes from Biden.
I get that Amash is offering a vision of an anti-Trump or post-Trump Party, but is the Libertarian outlook really going to find that many voters in the midst of this crushing pandemic? The idea that “you do you” seems even more ill-fitted to our current realities than usual.
And will Amash support the bailouts and federal help in the trillions of dollars? Does he support abortion rights and privacy rights generally? Will he be a friend to gay people who want to be treated as equals?
Even if his campaign is just a way for Republicans to vote against Trump, I question how much appeal Amash has, in Michigan and nationally, in 2020.