Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) left the Republican Party, and now he may wreck Trump’s reelection campaign by running for president.
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Justin Amash won’t rule out running for president against Trump
Transcript via CNN’s State Of The Union:
TAPPER: Are you running for reelection as an independent to Congress?
AMASH: Yes, I am.
TAPPER: You are? And you think you can win as an independent?
AMASH: Yes. I’m very confident about that.
TAPPER: What about the possibility of your running for president as a libertarian or some under — some — under some other ticket? I asked you about that four or five months ago, and you didn’t rule it out. Is it possible you would run for president?
AMASH: I still wouldn’t rule anything like that out.
I believe that I have to use my skills, my public influence where it serves the country best. And I believe I have to defend the Constitution, which — in whichever way works best. And if that means doing something else, then I do that.
But I feel confident about running in my district. I feel a close tie to my community. I feel — I care a lot about my community. I want to represent them in Congress.
TAPPER: When do you think you will make a decision about a possible presidential run?
AMASH: Well, it’s — it’s something people talk about all the time. It’s not something that’s right on my radar right now.
So I couldn’t tell you.
Video:
Independent Rep. Justin Amash tells CNN's Jake Tapper that he wouldn't rule out a run for president: "I believe I have to defend the Constitution in whichever way works best and if that means doing something else, then I do that" CNNSOTU https://t.co/cnryboY2Yp pic.twitter.com/MBXaYjiXmX
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) July 7, 2019
Justin Amash Running For President Would Take Votes Away From Trump
The type of voter who would vote for Justin Amash for president won’t vote for the Democratic nominee, but if push comes to shove, they would vote for Donald Trump.
An Amash candidacy may make Michigan virtually unwinnable for Trump. Trump won Amash’s district by ten points in 2016. If Amash is on the presidential ballot, he could take thousands of Republican votes away from the president in a state that he won by 10,704 votes. Amash wouldn’t have an impact on the national election, but the fact that congressman is from a key swing state that Trump barely won, gives him the ability to potentially deny Trump a second term in 2020.
Rep. Amash doesn’t fear Donald Trump, and he is in a position to potentially get him out of the White House.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
