Rep. Justin Amash drops bid for presidency on Libertarian ticket in surprise Twitter announcement
Congressman Justin Amash (I-MI) announced today in a lengthy Twitter thread that he would not run for President as the Libertarian party candidate.
Rep. Amash initially came to national prominence after being the only Republican member of the House of Representatives to support the impeachment of Donald Trump. His position opposing the president made his continued membership in the Republican party untenable and he left the GOP to become an independent before switching allegiance to the Libertarian party and announcing an exploratory committee for his candidacy last month.
Amash’s announcement worried both Republicans and Democrats alike since the spoiler effect of a well known third party candidate could change the political calculus of the presidential race.
Republicans worried that Amash could siphon votes for Trump from right-wing, more Libertarian, members of their party and from the “Never Trumpers” of which the congressman was an integral part.
Democrats would prefer that their presumed candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, not have third party competition for those independents and Republicans sick of Trump’s lying and incompetence who would vote for the Democratic candidate by default simply to eject the current corrupt president from office.
In his Twitter thread announcing his withdrawal from consideration as a presidential candidate, Congressman Amash acknowledged that the popular perception of his candidacy as potentially creating conditions that could lead to Trump snatching victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat in a two-party race played a large role in his decision to abandon his presidential ambitions.
The bizarrely-altered campaign environment due to the coronavirus pandemic also played a large role in his decision to quit the contest as the economic consequences of the pandemic are making political fundraising a much more insurmountable obstacle for a third-party candidate.
You can read Congressman Justin Amash’s Twitter thread announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race below.
I’ve spent nearly three weeks assessing the race, appearing in media, talking to delegates and donors, watching the Libertarian Party’s convention plan unfold, and gathering feedback from family, friends, and other advisers.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
This was a difficult decision for me, especially having seen grassroots supporters put so much effort into this campaign. It’s been humbling and awesome.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
Polarization is near an all-time high. Electoral success requires an audience willing to consider alternatives, but both social media and traditional media are dominated by voices strongly averse to the political risks posed by a viable third candidate.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
Today, most Americans are understandably more interested in what life will look like tomorrow than they are in broader policy debates, and news coverage has reflected those priorities. At the same time, fundraising challenges posed by an idled economy will hinder advertising.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
but lingering uncertainty regarding ratification of online voting, the feasibility of 50-state ballot access and related legal challenges, and unity after the nomination have also weighed heavily on me. We must address these issues as a party to ensure we maximize our potential.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
I remain invested in helping the party realize these possibilities and look forward to the successes ahead.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
If you aren’t already a member of the @LPNational, I encourage you to join me in becoming one so we can continue working together toward freedom, peace, and prosperity.
With appreciation,
Justin
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 16, 2020
Representative Amash’s decision surely inspired a collective sigh of relief from the forces lined up to defeat Donald Trump at the polls in November, but in the turbulent world of politics each day brings new challenges, and it is unlikely that the Trump re-election campaign will go down without putting up a fight that will try every dirty trick in the book, likely with the aid of Vladimir Putin’s cyber-minions.
Thus, progressive advocates can’t rest in their efforts to ensure that Trump is defeated in November and must try to minimize the damage that he can do in the meantime. Until he is out of office and held accountable for his copious misdeeds both before and during his presidency, democracy and justice in this nation cannot be restored fully.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
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