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Politics

Justin Amash, Libertarian-Leaning Congressman, Rumored to Be Mulling 2014 Senate Run

Brian Doherty | 2.14.2013 3:49 PM

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National Review says that Michigan Republican sources tell them Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), the second-termer endorsed by Ron Paul who does a very good job holding down the hardcore libertarian fort in Congress, might try to decamp to the Senate next year:

"People are asking him to look at it, and he hasn't closed the door," says a Republican operative familiar with Michigan politics. "If [incumbent Democrat Carl] Levin steps down, I think he's going to run."

Several libertarian activists say the 32-year-old congressman is intrigued by the idea. He recently huddled with his friends and allies to express his interest.

But no decision is imminent…

Amash, a vocal critic of Speaker John Boehner and a popular presence on Twitter, is known as the libertarian bad boy of the House GOP. He was famously kicked off of the budget committee last year for his quarrels with the leadership.

Amash also voted against Boehner during the speaker election in January. Instead of backing the Ohio Republican, he cast his vote for Raul Labrador, an Idaho conservative and a fellow Republican sophomore.

Amash's consideration is alarming to Michigan Republicans, who are hoping to back a more established candidate, especially if Levin retires and the seat is open.

Amash, as a youthful conservative with a national following, would be a force in a primary. Many Ron Paul supporters see him as a libertarian leader for a new generation.

Roll Call says it has not yet been able to get Amash office verification.

My blogging on Amash's fight with House leadership here, here, and here.

Amash is the centerpiece of my interview feature with libertarian-ish House members in the March Reason.

I helped introduce Amash's self-consciously libertarian ways to the many readers of the Sunday New York Times this weekend.

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Brian Doherty is a senior editor at Reason and author of Ron Paul's Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired (Broadside Books).

PoliticsJustin AmashSenateRepublican PartyCongressLibertarianism
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  1. Sudden   12 years ago

    Roll Call says it has not yet been able to get Amash office verification.

    That is clearly because Amash hasn't even thought about this yet. I bet this is just Zoey Barnes creating rumors on behalf of a powerful dixiecrat congressman.

    1. Ghetto Slovak Goatherder   12 years ago

      Amash=Russo?

      1. Spoonman.   12 years ago

        Amash would ideally more be playing the Durant role here.

        1. Sudden   12 years ago

          That was what I was alluding to. Don't spoil what happens on the Russo front for me. I'm only through the fifth episode so far. Great show though. Spacey resurrects a hybrid between his Swimming with Sharks role and Keyser Sose. And Fincher is obviously the tits (I'll give him a pass for doing the Social Network).

          1. Some call me Tim?   12 years ago

            I was more thinking of his role in midnight in the garden of good and evil

      2. Sudden   12 years ago

        He's libertarian minded (hookers and blow?), and seems down to close military bases.

        Amash is as close to Russo as we'll get.

  2. nicole, dirty poet laureate   12 years ago

    My name is Justin Amash
    Tweeted @ Carney, and I was all, "SMASH!"
    I'm the bad boy of freedom
    In Congress, you need 'em
    So help me to make a big splash.

    1. Episiarch   12 years ago

      I think nicole ate an entire bag of dark chocolate coated espresso beans because it's Valentine's Day. More powerful than meth.

      1. Ghetto Slovak Goatherder   12 years ago

        I'm new here. Is this Nicole:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXZBVeFJsKM

        ?

        1. Heroic Mulatto   12 years ago

          She has crazy eyes.

          Jus' sayin'

        2. nicole, dirty poet laureate   12 years ago

          No, that's Julie Borowski.

          They say, "Ain't no LBT girls!"
          So Julie gets on YouTube and shakes those curls.
          She says she's the token,
          And she's surely outspoken,
          But mostly I just like her pearls.

          1. Auscifer   12 years ago

            Nice...

      2. nicole, dirty poet laureate   12 years ago

        You know, you're worse than fucking Hitler. I could really go for some dark chocolate coated espresso beans right now. All I have is some stupid Ghirardelli bar with sea salt and roasted almonds. Which, don't get me wrong, NOM.

  3. Spoonman.   12 years ago

    If this happens, get ready for a delightful "Justin Amash is of Palestinian descent, can we trust him to support Israel?" smear.

    1. wareagle   12 years ago

      well, he did pull that card himself after McCain's joke about the Iranian monkey in space and Ahmadinejad. And if you can't live with a joke about Mookie, than you are humorless.

    2. Sudden   12 years ago

      It's Michigan, home to Deerborn and the largest US Arab population.

      Amash having Palestinian descent might give him a landslide victory.

      1. Heroic Mulatto   12 years ago

        It's Michigan, home to Deerborn and the largest US Arab population.

        Amash having Palestinian descent might give him a landslide victory.

        It would be interesting to see Amash and Keith Ellison get into a bare-kunckle brawl. Who would they support? Amash, Arab but Christian or Ellison, a Muslim convert but not-Arab?

        1. Heroic Mulatto   12 years ago

          *knuckle

          1. kinnath   12 years ago

            I kind of liked the "bare-kunckle".

        2. Red Rocks Rockin   12 years ago

          In my experience, ethnic solidarity tends to overcome religious differences, as least with Americanized Arabs.

    3. bmp1701   12 years ago

      He's clearly an Uncle Abdullah for supporting the GOP.

      1. Heroic Mulatto   12 years ago

        You don't Sununu, do u?

  4. CE   12 years ago

    He was famously kicked off of the budget committee last year for his quarrels with the leadership.having the nerve to suggest that they actually cut spending.

    1. R C Dean   12 years ago

      Yeah, look for the Establishment Repubs to try to submarine him if her runs for Senate. I expect much chin-stroking and many furrowed brows over proper temperament, reaching across the aisle, and how some middle-of-the-road timeserver is just the man to carry the Republican standard for a historically Democratic seat.

  5. Pro Libertate   12 years ago

    I'm Amash with excitement.

  6. kinnath   12 years ago

    I keep saying, the best thing that libertarian-leaning Republicans can do is build a block or 4 or 5 Senators. That's enough to block pretty much any legislation from getting passed regardless of which team has the majority.

  7. John   12 years ago

    http://atr.rollcall.com/new-je.....etirement/

    Lautenberg to not seek re-election. Frank Lautenberg is still alive?

  8. brlfq   12 years ago

    a popular presence on Twitter...libertarian bad boy...kicked off of the budget committee...

    With a resume like that he can't lose.

  9. Hawk Spitui   12 years ago

    A likely Republican response...
    http://sultanknish.blogspot.co.....t.html?m=1

  10. Brian from Texas   12 years ago

    With Rand Paul in the Senate and not up for reeelection until 2016 I think Amash should stay in the House for now and keep a pro-Liberty presence there.

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