Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan may be primed to jump in the 2020 race… and it could guarantee that President Donald Trump is re-elected.
The Republican-turned-independent congressman — who voted to impeach Trump — is eyeing a run on the Libertarian Party ticket.
Rather than hurt Trump, though, political critics and pundits are saying that the move could hand the 2020 election over to Trump easily.
Former congressman Joe Walsh –– a “Never Trump” Republican who ran a failed 2020 primary campaign against Trump –– said, “Amash running for president on the Libertarian Party ticket is such a terrible idea.”
For one, “Amash can’t win,” Walsh wrote in The Washington Post.
Not only is his run futile, Walsh argues that by siphoning off votes for presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Amash would effectively be handing the Trump campaign a win.
” … any vote that’s not for the Democratic nominee is effectively a vote for Trump.”
But Amash seems intent on going against the grain, despite the outcry from “Never Trump” establishment Republicans.
Amash announced Tuesday that he is launching an exploratory committee for the 2020 Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.
He said on Twitter that the U.S. was ready for new leadership. He also posted a link to a new campaign website.
“Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people,” Amash said. “We’re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together.
Amash announced last July that he was leaving the Republican Party, saying he had become disenchanted with partisan politics and “frightened by what I see from it.”
His move was condemned by Trump and fellow Republicans when he said the president had engaged in impeachable conduct.
Trump has called Amash a “total loser.”
But suddenly, this “total loser” could help Trump become a two-time winner.
The Associated Press contributed to this article