Former Michigan Congressman Justin Amash announced Thursday that he’s running for Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat.
Amash is running as a Republican, but he had previously switched from the GOP to independent before leaving office.
“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. That’s why, today, I’m making it official: I’m joining the race for United States Senate in Michigan,” Amash wrote in a lengthy statement posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Amash continued, "The past few years away from Congress have given me time to reflect on the experiences that have shaped my life, the principles of liberty that inspire me, and what my tenure in Congress meant to the people of my community." 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
The libertarian-leaning politician wrote that his parents had arrived in the United States as teenagers "in search of a better future." His father was a Palestinian refugee, and his mother was a Syrian immigrant.
Amash said that the upcoming election made him feel obligated to get back into office.
"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."
The Hill notes, "Amash’s bid throws an unexpected curveball into the GOP primary, though the Independent is unlikely to win. The Senate Republicans’ campaign arm has rallied around former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), but former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) — known for his vote to impeach former President Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol — is running as well."
On the Democrat side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, actor Hill Harper, and businessman Nasser Beydoun are running.
