Arab American Congressman Justin Amash May Seek Libertarian Presidential Nomination
Arab American Congressman Justin Amash (I-Mich.) announced yesterday that he has launched an exploratory committee to seek the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.
He tweeted: Today, I launched an exploratory committee to seek the @LPNational’s nomination for president of the United States. Americans are ready for practical approaches based on humility and trust of the people,”
“We’re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together. I’m excited and honored to be taking these first steps toward serving Americans of every background as president,”
Today, I launched an exploratory committee to seek the @LPNational’s nomination for president of the United States. Americans are ready for practical approaches based in humility and trust of the people.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) April 29, 2020
Amash’s father, Attallah Amash, is a Palestinian Christian who immigrated to the United States in 1956 through the sponsorship of an American pastor and his family. His mother, Mimi, is a Syrian Christian who met his father through family friends in Damascus, Syria.
Amash clashed with the President and became the first Republican to call for Trump’s impeachment based on special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings in the Russian investigation.
Amash left the Republican party recently after he called for Trump’s impeachment.
It has been reported that members of the Libertarian Part pressured Amash to seek their nomination. In 2016, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson received close to 4.5 million votes. This year, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee ended his bid for the nomination, which left an opening for Amash.
The Detroit News conducted a poll in 2019 which found if Amash ran for president in Michigan he would reduce Biden’s lead on the ballot. In the poll, Biden led Trump by 12 percentage points, but the lead narrowed to 6 percentage points when Amash was included in the field.
According to Richard Czuba, who conducted the poll for the Lansing-based Glengariff Group, “This is, frankly, a somewhat startling finding. I think conventional wisdom would say he would hurt President Trump by taking away Republican votes,” “He will not take away Republican votes from Trump. What he will do is give independent voters who don’t want to support President Trump an outlet to not vote for the Democrat. And if you look at who or what would be moving toward Amash, it is particularly independent men.”
The Libertarian Party is set to meet in Austin over Memorial Day weekend to pick its presidential nominee, with the convention making its choice on May 25.
Compiled by Arab America
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