Former Republican-turned-independent Rep. Justin Amash entered the Republican Senate primary in Michigan on Thursday, joining a field of candidates hoping to win the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
Amash, a critic of former President Donald Trump, left the Republican Party in 2019, expressing his frustration over the partisan politics of both the Democratic and Republican parties. In a lengthy post on X, Amash again discussed the increased polarization of American politics and said that he is running for Senate because Washington needs “an independent-minded senator prepared to challenge anyone and everyone on the people’s behalf.”
“Regardless of who wins the White House and Congress, the United States will remain deeply polarized,” Amash wrote. “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.”
“As I wrote when I launched my exploratory committee: We need a principled, consistent constitutional conservative in the Senate—someone with a record of taking on the bipartisan oligarchy, defending sound money and free speech, fighting the surveillance state and military-industrial complex, and protecting all our rights,” Amash added.
After quitting the Republican Party, Amash — who holds libertarian views — decided against running for another term in the U.S. House in 2020. He had held the seat since 2010. Amash also briefly considered running for president in 2020 as a third-party option, but ultimately decided that “circumstances don’t lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year.”
Amash now joins a crowded GOP field in Michigan as Republicans hope the state will help the party gain control of the Senate in the 2024 election. Former Republican Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meijer, along with businessman Sandy Pensler and Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder have already declared their candidacies. Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who was one of the favorites to win the GOP nomination, dropped out of the race earlier this month.
In his announcement post, Amash criticized Rogers as the GOP establishment choice, calling him “Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate.”
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Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is the favorite to win the Democratic nomination for the Senate race. Democrats have controlled both Michigan Senate seats since 2001, but the 2024 election in Michigan is considered one of many closely contested Senate races.