Former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the libertarian-leaning Republican who went independent and later joined the Libertarian Party and became a critic of Donald Trump, announced Thursday he’s running for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan.
Amash is returning to the Republican Party to run in the GOP primary set for August.
He joins an already crowded field of Republicans vying for a seat held by Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who is retiring.
Other high-profile Republicans running for the seat are former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers of Brighton, Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township, and businessman Sandy Pensler of Grosse Pointe Park.
Retired Detroit Police Chief James Craig bailed out of the race after failing to raise enough money.
“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,” Amash said in a statement.
Amash said Americans are growing disillusioned with politicians.
“We live in the greatest country on earth, but the ideals that have made it great are increasingly taken for granted,” Amash said. “People often feel helpless and hopeless, unheard and ignored by Washington, and trapped between opposing forces who reject America’s principles or don’t understand them.”
The son of a Palestinian refugee, Amash said hyper-partisanship is depriving Americans of fresh, independent ideas.
“Regardless of who wins the White House and Congress, the United States will remain deeply polarized,” Amash said. “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.”
Amash gained national attention after he became the only congressional Republican to vote to impeach Trump in 2019. Republican leaders responded by pledging to unseat Amash in 2020, and Trump called him “a loser.” He then joined the Libertarian Party, and briefly explored running as the Libertarian Party candidate for president.
Amash decided not to run for reelection.
“This is the land of liberty, and it’s on us to defend it,” Amash concluded in his Senate announcement.
Democrats scoffed at Amash’s entry into the race, saying he supported abortion bans and tax cuts for the ultra-rich and called for a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
“Michigan Republicans’ brutal infighting is getting nastier by the day,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement. “Their caustic showdown will leave them with a badly damaged nominee who is out of touch with Michigan families. Amash has an extensive record of leaving Michiganders behind: supporting dangerous abortion bans, vowing to gut health care access, and backing the 2017 tax giveaway to the wealthy and large corporations.”
Amash became the first Palestinian American to serve in Congress when he was first elected in 2011. In October, Amash said members of his family were killed by Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza while they were sheltering inside a church.
Now U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, also of Michigan, is the only Palestinian American in Congress.
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