Former Republican-turned-independent Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/justin-amash-considers-senate-run-in-michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Amash</a> entered the Republican Senate primary in Michigan on Thursday, joining a field of candidates hoping to win the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democratic-senator-debbie-stabenow-announces-she-wont-seek-re-election-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Debbie Stabenow</a>.
Amash, a critic of former President Donald Trump, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/justin-amash-our-politics-is-in-a-partisan-death-spiral-thats-why-im-leaving-the-gop/2019/07/04/afbe0480-9e3d-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left</a> the Republican Party in 2019, expressing his frustration over the partisan politics of both the Democratic and Republican parties. In a lengthy <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1763232693985161365" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> 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.”
&#8220;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,&#8221; 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 <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/justin-amash-will-not-run-president/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decided</a> 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. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-land-top-recruit-in-battleground-senate-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Rogers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-michigan-rep-peter-meijer-jumps-in-race-for-retiring-dem-sen-stabenows-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Meijer</a>, 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, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-detroit-police-chief-suspends-gop-senate-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped out</a> of the race earlier this month.
In his announcement post, Amash criticized Rogers as the GOP establishment choice, calling him &#8220;Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate.&#8221;
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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.

Justin Amash

Former Rep. Justin Amash Jumps Into Michigan GOP Senate Race

2024 Election

Elections

Michigan

Politics

Republican Party

Republican Primary

Senate

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/justin-amash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Amash</a>, a former Michigan congressman who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-justin-amash-congressman-who-left-gop-suggests-hes-considering-presidential-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left the Republican Party</a>, announced on Thursday he is mulling a run for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Senate</a>.
A post to X from Amash <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1748012374865412458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he is launching an exploratory committee after being &#8220;humbled&#8221; by people urging him to run for the upper chamber and compete in the already-crowded Republican primary to replace <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stabenows-retirement-announcement-fuels-2024-senate-election-rumors-here-are-the-names-being-floated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)</a>.
&#8220;They see what I see: contenders for the seat who are uninspired, unserious, and unprepared to tackle the chief impediment to liberty and economic prosperity—an overgrown and abusive government that strives to centralize power and snuff out individualism,&#8221; Amash said. &#8220;The people of Michigan and our country deserve better.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’ve been humbled in recent weeks by the many people who have urged me to run for Senate in Michigan and to do so by joining the Republican primary.
They see what I see: contenders for the seat who are uninspired, unserious, and unprepared to tackle the chief impediment to…
&mdash; Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1748012374865412458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Amash served in the House <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/01/justin-amash-touts-himself-as-alternative-independent-choice-for-house-speaker.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representing</a> a Grand Rapids district from 2011 to 2021. Toward the end of his tenure, in 2019, Amash became the lone Republican congressman to support the first impeachment against former President Donald Trump and declared in a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/justin-amash-our-politics-is-in-a-partisan-death-spiral-thats-why-im-leaving-the-gop/2019/07/04/afbe0480-9e3d-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Post op-ed</a> that he was leaving the GOP.
Since announcing his break with the Republican Party, Amash has voiced opposition to the two-party binary dominating U.S. politics. In 2020, Amash began <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/29/justin-amash-presidential-bid-libertarian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exploring</a> a bid for the presidency as a Libertarian, but <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/justin-amash-will-not-run-president/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quickly opted</a> not to run for the White House even as he continued to argue a third-party candidate could be viable. Amash <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/justin-amash-ex-republican-who-supported-trumps-impeachment-will-not-run-for-reelection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> not to seek re-election in 2020.
The 2024 race for Michigan&#8217;s U.S. Senate seat already includes former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-michigan-rep-peter-meijer-jumps-in-race-for-retiring-dem-sen-stabenows-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI)</a>, another Trump critic who <a href="https://www.mlive.com/politics/2020/11/republican-peter-meijer-wins-race-to-replace-justin-amash-in-michigans-3rd-congressional-district.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">succeeded</a> Amash; former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, and businessman Sandy Pensler on the Republican side. Among the Democrat candidates is Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who is <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/10/michigans-u-s-senate-race-starts-as-a-toss-up-poll-finds/72153501007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered the frontrunner</a>. A recent statewide poll found the race to be a &#8220;toss-up&#8221; with a sizable number of independent voters undecided, <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/10/michigans-u-s-senate-race-starts-as-a-toss-up-poll-finds/72153501007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Detroit News</a>.
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The winner of the election may help determine which party controls the Senate, which currently has a <a href="https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">narrow</a> Democratic Party majority that is made possible by three independents who caucus with Democrats, with a number of <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/01/politics/senate-race-rankings-january-2024/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seats that could flip</a>. The contest is also taking place during a presidential election year in which Trump is seeking another term in the White House as the GOP frontrunner, possibly leading up to a rematch against President Joe Biden, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-senate-elections-gary-peters-19decf3108373883409fae7e6e810ac6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won Michigan</a> in 2020.
&#8220;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. The stakes are high: freedom, social cooperation, and human progress itself,&#8221; Amash said in his post to X. &#8220;Let me know if you’re ready to meet this challenge with me, and thanks for your continuing encouragement.&#8221;

Rep. Justin Amash

Justin Amash Considers Senate Run In Michigan

Election

U.S. Senate

After reports stated that President Trump was expected to greatly reduce U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) — a former Navy SEAL who lost an eye in Afghanistan on his third deployment, underwent several surgeries, and then deployed twice more — criticized the decision. Crenshaw&#8217;s criticism of the potential troop reduction prompted former GOP representative Justin Amash (MI) to call Crenshaw “immoral,” a comment met with a blistering response from the Texas congressman.
The exchange began with Crenshaw taking issue with the decision to draw down troops from Afghanistan. He wrote: “Withdrawing troops rapidly might make some people feel better, but it won’t be good for American security. We will be right back in the same place as pre-9/11. No deterrence, no situational awareness, vulnerable to emboldened terrorists.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Withdrawing troops rapidly might make some people feel better, but it won’t be good for American security. We will be right back in the same place as pre-9/11. No deterrence, no situational awareness, vulnerable to emboldened terrorists.<a href="https://t.co/yWAmzaN3rr">https://t.co/yWAmzaN3rr</a>
&mdash; Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanCrenshaw/status/1328722814690611202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In response, Amash, who voted to impeach President Trump, later leaving the GOP and joining the Libertarian Party in April, called Crenshaw “immoral.”
“These wars have gone on for nearly two decades,&#8221; Amash wrote. &#8220;What he’s really saying is that he wants perpetual war for just-in-case reasons, knowing there’s no real oversight from Congress or mandate from the American people. It’s immoral and dangerous.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
These wars have gone on for nearly two decades. What he’s really saying is that he wants perpetual war for just-in-case reasons, knowing there’s no real oversight from Congress or mandate from the American people. It’s immoral and dangerous. <a href="https://t.co/VX48WmOQbt">https://t.co/VX48WmOQbt</a>
&mdash; Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1328873156715700230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Crenshaw ripped Amash for his Manichean perspective, firing back, “Your ignorance is appalling — namely your inability to view presence overseas as anything but ‘war’ or ‘not war.’ And it’s telling that you can’t make an argument, but instead default to childish name-calling ‘well he is just immoral.’ Spare us the sanctimonious sloganeering.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Your ignorance is appalling &#8211; namely your inability to view presence overseas as anything but “war” or “not war.” And it’s telling that you can’t make an argument, but instead default to childish name-calling “well he is just immoral.”
Spare us the sanctimonious sloganeering. <a href="https://t.co/6nmAbIl5iu">https://t.co/6nmAbIl5iu</a>
&mdash; Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1328882078323183619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Despite having just called Crenshaw “immoral,” Amash accused him of “name calling”: “Get real. You resort to name calling and then falsely play the victim of name calling with a made-up quote. Perpetual war is immoral and dangerous. You should stop excusing it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Get real. You resort to name calling and then falsely play the victim of name calling with a made-up quote. Perpetual war is immoral and dangerous. You should stop excusing it. <a href="https://t.co/srvB8EIqzo">https://t.co/srvB8EIqzo</a>
&mdash; Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1328887374248628230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Crenshaw got down to brass tacks: “Immoral? Based on? My friends risking their lives understand a basic truth that you refuse to: this enemy wants to kill us. Protecting America’s flank is indeed ‘moral,’ a basic duty of govt, and yes, dangerous. Thankfully we have people willing to take that risk when you won’t.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Immoral? Based on? My friends risking their lives understand a basic truth that you refuse to: this enemy wants to kill us. Protecting America’s flank is indeed “moral,” a basic duty of govt, and yes, dangerous. Thankfully we have people willing to take that risk when you won’t. <a href="https://t.co/8F5bGLlpEm">https://t.co/8F5bGLlpEm</a>
&mdash; Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1328894483040235522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Crenshaw is a retired lieutenant commander with the United States Navy, and was formerly a Navy SEAL. According to his campaign website&#8217;s &#8220;about&#8221; section, he &#8220;graduated from Tufts University in 2006, where he earned his Naval officer commission through Navy ROTC.&#8221; After graduation, he reported immediately to SEAL training, where he excelled, and then deployed to Fallujah, in Iraq — the first of five tours of duty serving his country overseas.
Crenshaw lost his eye on his third deployment. &#8220;After six months of combat operations,&#8221; Crenshaw&#8217;s official biography notes, &#8220;Dan was hit by an IED blast during a mission in Helmand province, Afghanistan.&#8221; He lost his right eye and his left was &#8220;badly damaged.&#8221; After undergoing several surgeries, Crenshaw returned to service, deploying twice more.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ridiculous-decision-canceled-arlington-wreath-laying-ceremony-reinstated-after-trump-steps-in">‘Ridiculous Decision’: Canceled Arlington Wreath-Laying Ceremony Reinstated After Trump Steps In</a>

Crenshaw

Former GOP Rep Calls Crenshaw Immoral Criticizing Troop Draw-Down. Crenshaw Fires, ‘My Friends Risking Their Lives Understand A Basic Truth That You Refuse To: This Enemy Wants To Kill Us’

Afghanistan

Dan Crenshaw

Iraq

Michigan Rep. Justin Amash will not seek reelection to his U.S. House seat.
Amash, a former Republican who joined the Libertarian Party in April, confirmed reports that he was not campaigning for the upcoming election on Thursday. Amash left the GOP and took significant backlash from the party for supporting President Trump’s impeachment last year.
“I love representing our community in Congress. I always will. This is my choice, but I’m still going to miss it. Thank you for your trust,” Amash tweeted late Thursday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I love representing our community in Congress. I always will. This is my choice, but I’m still going to miss it.
Thank you for your trust.
&mdash; Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1283959805120516096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The official Twitter account for the Libertarian Party responded to Amash’s tweet, seemingly adding further confirmation that the U.S. representative’s career in the House is ending, at least for now.
“It&#8217;s been an honor being represented by someone of your character in the House, Congressman. Let&#8217;s work to ensure that qualified immunity is dealt a serious blow on your way out,” the Libertarian account said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It&#39;s been an honor being represented by someone of your character in the House, Congressman. Let&#39;s work to ensure that qualified immunity is dealt a serious blow on your way out 💪
&mdash; Libertarian Party (@LPNational) <a href="https://twitter.com/LPNational/status/1284097970955321345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Amash announced his decision not to run for reelection shortly after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/justin-amash-congressman-who-left-gop-announces-he-wont-run-for-president-in-2020">ending</a> a bid for president on the Libertarian Party ticket that never really got off the ground. After launching an exploratory committee to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-justin-amash-congressman-who-left-gop-suggests-hes-considering-presidential-run">assess</a> his chances at running a successful campaign against President Trump and the Democratic nominee, Amash told his followers and supporters on May 16 that “circumstances don’t lend themselves to my success as a candidate”
“I’ve been speaking directly to delegates about this opportunity for only a short time, but these conversations have solidified my belief that the Libertarian Party is well positioned to become a major and consistent contender to win elections at all levels of government,” he added. “I remain invested in helping the party realize these possibilities and look forward to the successes ahead.”
Amash announced he was leaving the Republican Party on July 4 last year in an op-ed for The Washington Post. The five-term congressman culled himself from the party after claiming that Trump had committed “impeachable conduct,” which earned him stiff backlash from many of his own supporters.
Amash later sided with Democrats to vote to impeach Trump in December on charges of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power, neither defined as crimes under U.S. legal codes. Amash’s vote in the House was the only non-Democratic vote cast in support of the impeachment articles.
The charges stemmed from a phone call Trump shared with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Democrats claimed Trump held up aid to Ukraine to secure investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, now the presumptive Democratic nominee. Biden and his son, Hunter, have denied questions of corruption stemming from the former vice president’s work with Ukraine under the Obama administration while Hunter sat on the board of an Ukrainian energy company.
The Senate later acquitted Trump of both charges.
As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-acquitted-from-democrats-partisan-articles-of-impeachment">reported</a> at the time:
<blockquote>President Donald Trump was acquitted from both of House Democrats’ partisan articles of impeachment on Tuesday when Senators cast their votes in the impeachment trial.
On the first article of impeachment on abuse of power, Trump was acquitted in a 52-48 vote.</blockquote>

Justin Amash, Ex-Republican Who Supported Trump’s Impeachment, Will Not Run For Reelection

Michigan Congressman Justin Amash, who left the Republican Party in 2019, has decided against running for president on the Libertarian ticket after launching an exploratory committee several weeks ago. 
In a twitter thread on Saturday morning, Amash said that he still believes a third-party candidate can win a presidential election, but suggested that the political environment wasn’t right for him. 
“Polarization is near an all-time high. Electoral success requires an audience willing to consider alternatives, but both social media and traditional media are dominated by voices strongly averse to the political risks posed by a viable third candidate,” said Amash. 
Amash has previously said that a strong motivator for him to leave the Republican Party was polarization in American politics, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/justin-amash-our-politics-is-in-a-partisan-death-spiral-thats-why-im-leaving-the-gop/2019/07/04/afbe0480-9e3d-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html">calling</a> the status quo a “death spiral&#8221; in an op-ed for The Washington Post. In announcing his withdrawal from the 2020 race, Amash also suggested Americans weren’t interested in “broader” policy debates due to the coronavirus, which also has created fundraising challenges.
“Today, most Americans are understandably more interested in what life will look like tomorrow than they are in broader policy debates, and news coverage has reflected those priorities. At the same time, fundraising challenges posed by an idled economy will hinder advertising,” said the congressman. 
Amash also suggested that he would remain in the Libertarian Party.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
After much reflection, I’ve concluded that circumstances don’t lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1261714484479041537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I remain invested in helping the party realize these possibilities and look forward to the successes ahead.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1261714491768803328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/amash-on-planned-presidential-run-millions-of-americans-want-someone-who-will-respect-our-constitution-defend-our-rights">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported, during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper about his presidential ambitions several weeks ago, Amash pushed back against the idea that Americans were satisfied between choosing from President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. 
“It doesn’t sound like there are a vast array of voters dissatisfied with both presidential choices,” said Tapper, who cited a poll showing that only 10% of voters have an unfavorable view of both candidates. 
“A good portion of the country, probably a plurality, is pretty independent, and they are looking for another choice,” responded Amash. “They might prefer one candidate or the other if you have a two-candidate field, but if you make it a three-candidate field, and you have a compelling candidate, they’d be delighted to go to that candidate.”
“And for too long, we’ve had the same system where these two parties go at each other, and Washington is totally dysfunctional,” the congressman continued. 
“That’s why I left the Republican Party, because there was this partisan death spiral. We need someone who’s going to come in as president, respect our Constitution, defend our rights, and fix our representative system of government so that people will actually feel represented at home – and I know that millions of Americans want that,” said Amash. 
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Justin Amash, Congressman Who Left GOP, Announces He Won’t Run For President In 2020

2020 Election

On Sunday, Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper to discuss his recently-announced entrance into the 2020 presidential campaign.
Amash first addressed the protests at the Michigan state Capitol building, saying that Governor Whitmer “overreached in a lot of ways, and that upset a lot of people in the state of Michigan.”
While Amash denounced the usage of “Nazi symbols” and the bearing of firearms by protesters because it “might be perceived as some form of intimidation toward legislators,” he added that “everyone has the right to protest,” so long as they do it responsibly.
“And we&#8217;re a state that cares about our rights, cares about our freedoms, and we should work together with the governor,” Amash stated.
Tapper then asked Amash about the idea that, as a candidate, he might siphon votes away from presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, thus handing the election to President Trump.
Amash replied, noting that “the important thing is, we don&#8217;t know how the additional candidate changes a race. It&#8217;s too impossible to figure out. There are too many calculations involved.”
Amash continued, although due to a video error, a portion of his response was lost:
<blockquote>So, the most important thing is that we have a ballot, if you want to vote for someone, you vote for that person, and if you don&#8217;t want to vote [VIDEO ERROR] take votes from Joe Biden and Donald Trump because I&#8217;m gonna win the election – and we need to win this election for the American people.</blockquote>
Tapper pressed Amash about alleged dissatisfaction with Democrats and Republicans, saying that after taking “a dive into some numbers, just over 10% of voters have an unfavorable view of both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden,” according to a recent CNN poll.
“It doesn&#8217;t sound like there are a vast array of voters dissatisfied with both presidential choices,” Tapper said.
Amash pushed back on that idea, claiming that polling shows “a good portion of the country, probably a plurality, is pretty independent, and they are looking for another choice.”
<blockquote>They might prefer one candidate or the other if you have a two-candidate field, but if you make it a three-candidate field, and you have a compelling candidate, they’d be delighted to go to that candidate.
And for too long, we&#8217;ve had the same system where these two parties go at each other, and Washington is totally dysfunctional. That&#8217;s why I left the Republican Party, because there was this partisan death spiral. We need someone who’s going to come in as president, respect our Constitution, defend our rights, and fix our representative system of government so that people will actually feel represented at home – and I know that millions of Americans want that.</blockquote>
“No third party candidate in the modern two-party system has ever won the presidency,” Tapper stated before asking Amash why he believes he’s different.
Amash responded, saying that he’s going to “get the message out there about what&#8217;s wrong in Washington.”
<blockquote>I think we&#8217;re at a crossroads. There is a difference over the last decade or so where people are more polarized, more upset – but actually, most Americans are delightful people, are polite people, want to work with each other, respect each other, and these two factions that really control our political system are destroying our system and making it impossible for the rest of us to, frankly, enjoy our lives.
So, I want to go there and represent these millions of people, and I think we are at that crossroads where this kind of change can happen. Things are not settled the way they were maybe 30/40 years ago. We have a lot of uncertainty right now, and there&#8217;s an opening for a Libertarian Party to become a major party in this country.</blockquote>
Amash later added: “Congress needs to work for the people. The executive branch needs to execute the laws. And right now, if you have Donald Trump or Joe Biden as president, those things are not going to happen. You&#8217;re going to have the same system you&#8217;ve had for the past decade.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Congress needs to work for the people. The executive branch needs to execute the laws. And right now if you have Donald Trump or Joe Biden as President, those things are not going to happen.&#8221; – Libertarian presidential candidate Justin Amash on why he’s entered the race <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CNNSOTU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CNNSOTU</a> <a href="https://t.co/9THJuWSDaC">pic.twitter.com/9THJuWSDaC</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSotu/status/1256948847382847490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Amash On Planned Presidential Run: ‘Millions Of Americans Want’ Someone Who Will ‘Respect Our Constitution, Defend Our Rights’

Congressman Justin Amash (I-MI), the Michigan representative who left the Republican Party last July, suggested late Tuesday evening that he is considering a last-second entry into the 2020 presidential race. 
Earlier in the day, Amash tweeted a statement President Trump made at a coronavirus press briefing Monday: “When somebody is president of the United States, the authority is total, and that’s the way it’s gotta be.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“When somebody’s president of the United States, the authority is total, and that’s the way it’s gotta be.” 
—Donald Trump
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1249836953643765768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
President Trump was talking about the subject of coronavirus lockdowns, and later clarified that was his intention, reports <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/04/13/trump-claims-total-authority-over-state-decisions-1275506">Politico</a>. 
&#8220;You have a couple bands of Democratic governors, but they will agree to it,&#8221; said Trump. &#8220;They will agree to it. But the authority of the president of the United States, having to do with the subject we’re talking about, is total.”
Shortly after the congressman’s post, Amash tweeted a follow-up statement that was heavily open to interpretation: “Americans who believe in limited government deserve another option.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Americans who believe in limited government deserve another option. <a href="https://t.co/c7P2vOTyOe">https://t.co/c7P2vOTyOe</a>
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1249840522186948615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
But after a Twitter user commented on Amash’s post saying “please let it be you,” the congressman clarified a bit more and suggested that he was considering a last-second presidential run. 
“Thanks. I’m looking at it closely this week,” responded Amash on Monday evening.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks. I’m looking at it closely this week.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1249858294488989698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
Amash left the Republican Party on the Fourth of July in 2019, announcing his departure in a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/justin-amash-our-politics-is-in-a-partisan-death-spiral-thats-why-im-leaving-the-gop/2019/07/04/afbe0480-9e3d-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html">Washington Post</a> op-ed titled “Our Politics Is In A Partisan Death Spiral. That’s Why I’m Leaving The GOP.”
<blockquote>The Republican Party, I believed, stood for limited government, economic freedom and individual liberty — principles that had made the American Dream possible for my family.
In recent years, though, I’ve become disenchanted with party politics and frightened by what I see from it. The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions. </blockquote>
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rep-justin-amash-says-hes-considering-running-emily-zanotti">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported, Amash told CNN after the op-ed was published that he would consider running for president as an Independent candidate. 
“I still wouldn’t rule anything like that out, I believe I have to use my skills, my public influence, where it serves the country best,” said Amash. “And I believe I have to defend the Constitution in whichever way that works best.”
Former Congressman Joe Walsh, who ran a failed 2020 primary bid against Trump, seemingly blasted Amash for his statement, and said that anyone who would lobby a third-party candidacy was betraying the country’s “one job.”
“No 3rd Party candidate. No independent candidate. Sorry Libertarians, I love ya, but no libertarian candidate,” tweeted Walsh on Monday evening. “NOT THIS YEAR. NOT NOW. We have one job this year: TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP. That’s it. And the ONLY way we beat him is if we ALL support the Democratic nominee. ALL OF US.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No 3rd Party candidate. No independent candidate. Sorry Libertarians, I love ya, but no libertarian candidate. NOT THIS YEAR. NOT NOW. We have one job this year: TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP. That’s it. And the ONLY way we beat him is if we ALL support the Democratic nominee. ALL OF US.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1249871106732888067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote>

Congressman Justin Amash

BREAKING: Justin Amash, Congressman Who Left GOP, Suggests He’s Considering Presidential Run

Former Republican Rep. Justin Amash said Friday that he would vote for three articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
Amash made the comments to CNN following a week of hearings from the House Intelligence Committee and one hearing from the House Judiciary Committee.
&#8220;I think there&#8217;s sufficient evidence for all three,&#8221; Amash told the outlet while he was heading to the House floor. &#8220;Impeachment is like an indictment. We&#8217;re just issuing the charges. The trial happens in the Senate. There&#8217;s certainly probable cause to issue charges.&#8221;
Amash <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-republican-announces-hes-leaving-gop-ashe-schow">left the GOP</a> after he supported impeaching Trump. He now identifies as an Independent. CNN is now touting his vote for impeachment because he does not have a “D” next to his name. The lede for the CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/politics/justin-amash-supports-impeachment/index.html?utm_source=twCNNp&amp;utm_content=2019-12-07T01%3A44%3A18&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=image">article</a> about Amash’s comments states (emphasis added):
<blockquote>Rep. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/04/politics/justin-amash-leaving-gop/index.html">Justin Amash</a> said Friday that he is prepared to vote for three articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, ensuring that Democrats won&#8217;t be the only ones to impeach the President when <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/07/politics/democrat-impeachment-timeline/index.html">the historic vote hits the floor as soon as this month.</a></blockquote>
A tweet for the article contained the same sentence.
Amash’s vote will allow Democrats to say they are not the only ones who support impeaching Trump, even though there is likely to be no Republican votes in favor of articles of impeachment. As multiple outlets reported, the only Republican who signaled he was unsure of how he would vote, Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL), now says he believes there was “a rush to judgement” by Democrats. Rooney slammed Democrats for not compelling first-hand witnesses to testify even though they had been blocked by the White House.
Even worse for Democrats is that two of their own – Reps. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) and Collin Peterson (D-MN) – have signaled they will vote against impeachment, meaning there’s bipartisan opposition (however slight). Van Drew told CNN recently that he believes the impeachment proceedings are “tearing the country apart.”
Amash announced he was leaving the GOP on July 4th after writing <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/justin-amash-our-politics-is-in-a-partisan-death-spiral-thats-why-im-leaving-the-gop/2019/07/04/afbe0480-9e3d-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.a203afca9d89">an op-ed</a> in The Washington Post criticizing the party system.
“The parties value winning for its own sake, and at whatever cost,” Amash wrote. “Instead of acting as an independent branch of government and serving as a check on the executive branch, congressional leaders of both parties expect the House and Senate to act in obedience or opposition to the president and their colleagues on a partisan basis.”
Amash had come under fire previously by conservatives for a tweet thread condemning Trump and saying the president “engaged in impeachable conduct” based on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report. That report found that the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia to steal the 2016 election and made no determination on whether Trump obstructed justice during the investigation into the false narrative.
After Amash’s tweet thread he voluntarily left the House Freedom Caucus, though at the time fellow caucus member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said Amash was still a friend of the group.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-trump-republican-announces-hes-leaving-gop-ashe-schow">reported</a>, Amash has been an Independent since he was elected, voting against some key conservative bills while backing others. He has been one of the few Republicans who actually votes to cut federal spending and supports gun rights and pro-life bills.

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