Trump May Get New Challenger From the Right

Independent congressman Justin Amash says he is considering a 2020 run for president
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 14, 2020 1:01 PM CDT
Trump May Get New Challenger From the Right
In this 2019 photo, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan holds a town hall meeting in Grand Rapids.   (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)

The November vote is all but certain to be President Trump vs. Joe Biden. But now a third well-known name might be added to the mix: Rep. Justin Amash, a libertarian-leaning independent from Michigan, announced on Twitter that he is considering a third-party run, reports MLive. It all began when Amash posted a tweet critical of Trump's assertion Monday that "when somebody's president of the United States, the authority is total, and that's the way it's gotta be." Amash's response: "Americans who believe in limited government deserve another option." When a supporter wrote that it should be Amash himself, he responded, "Thanks. I'm looking at it closely this week."

Amash left the GOP last year after becoming the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump. He has since repeatedly declined to rule out a run for the White House. It's possible he could grab the nomination of the Libertarian Party when it chooses its candidate late next month, notes the Washington Post. An Amash candidacy might be bad news for Trump, theoretically giving voters on the right who are unhappy with his White House another option, writes Elliot Hannon at Slate. "Amash likely wouldn't reach the support necessary to qualify for the presidential debates, but a persistent, coherent, and principled critic on the right could do damage." (More Justin Amash stories.)

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