GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The man who became the first Libertarian party member to serve in Congress is now campaigning to return to Washington as a Republican.
Justin Amash announced Thursday he is seeking the GOP nomination for Michigan's open seat in the U.S. Senate.
The decision comes just over a month after Amash formed an exploratory committee to look at a potential campaign.
The 43-year-old served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021, representing Michigan's 3rd District which then covered half of Kent County along with Montcalm, Ionia, Berry, Calhoun and others.
Amash became known in Washington for his independent thinking. He often clashed with GOP leadership, including President Donald Trump when he took office in 2017. Amash announced his independence from the Republican Party on July 4, 2019.
He served as an independent in the House for roughly ten months before joining the Libertarian Party in April 2020. Amash announced he would not seek re-election later that year.
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Now, Amash joins a crowded field of candidates to replace retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow.
On the Republican side, fellow former Congressmen Peter Meijer and Mike Rogers have their hats in the ring, too. In all, about a dozen Republicans have announced campaigns. Democrats currently have five announced candidates, including current Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.
“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,” said Amash. “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.”
As he has with many announcements, Amash announced the decision on his social media pages.
When I established an exploratory committee for Senate, I understood the challenge ahead. Running for office requires an extraordinary commitment, not just from the candidate but also from family, friends, volunteers, and donors. A campaign puts them through so much. That’s…
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) February 29, 2024
FOX 17 sat down one-on-one with Amash shortly after he announced his bid for U.S. Senate Thursday. Watch the full interview below.
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