Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) announced on Tuesday that he is launching an exploratory committee for the Libertarian Party nomination for President of the United States.
“Today, I launched an exploratory committee to seek the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president of the United States. Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people,” Amash wrotewrote on Twitter. “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 also launched a new site for the committee, titled ‘Amash for America’.
“We’re ready. For something new. For a government that secures our rights. For equality before the law. For an end to cronyism. For a government that fulfills its purpose and recognizes its limits. For practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people,” the site reads. “For an honest, principled president who will defend the Constitution and put individuals first.”
Amash’s announcement comes as little surprise to many libertarians, given he quietly suspended his bid for re-election to Congress earlier this year and had been speculated to be considering a presidential bid since 2017. Amash left the Republican Party in 2019 after coming out in support of the impeachment of President Donald Trump, and has since closely ingratiated himself with the anti-Trump ‘Resistance’ movement, which seeks to oust the President from power by any means necessary.
Amash’s decision now puts two of his closest congressional allies, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), in a tough position, as they are forced to choose between disavowing Amash’s presidential bid or losing stock within the libertarian movement. Though Amash has little chance of winning the presidency, his bid could risk peeling away enough votes from Trump in Michigan, a critical swing state, to hand victory to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. According to 2016 Libertarian Party vice presidential nominee Bill Weld, internal polling indicated 75% of the votes his party won that year would otherwise have gone to Trump.
