# Liberty Movement > Defenders of Liberty > Justin Amash Forum >  Amash shares link hinting at Senate run on Facebook

## compromise

http://www.facebook.com/justinamash



> Liberty wins.
> http://www.nationaljournal.com/magaz...iting-20130321





> Justin Amash was dying to say something.
> It was the night of March 6, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was filibustering John Brennan’s nomination as CIA director. As other senators trickled into the upper chamber to help Paul persevere in his 13-hour crusade, Amash sat silently in the back of the room. He felt helpless, unable to lend a hand to Paul, his friend and fellow libertarian. Only senators are allowed to speak on the Senate floor. And Amash, a House member representing Michigan’s 3rd District, is not a senator.
> Not yet, anyway.
> Amash emerged as a potential U.S. Senate candidate one day after Paul’s filibuster, when Sen. Carl Levin, R-Mich., announced he will not seek reelection in 2014. Thanks to Michigan’s mediocre Republican bench and his headline-grabbing habits in the House, Amash instantly became the subject of speculation, and not without reason: Strategists in both parties agree he’s in a strong position to secure the GOP nomination.
> Not long ago, the idea of someone like Amash clearing the primary field in a Senate race would have been unthinkable. An outspoken libertarian with views that often run counter to recent GOP orthodoxy (he led a failed coup against Speaker John Boehner earlier this year), Amash has minimal support among the Republican political class. He’s also only 32 years old, serving his second term in Congress, and has little name recognition—even across Michigan. But in modern GOP politics, as shown by the examples of Sens. Paul, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Ted Cruz of Texas—all of whom were opposed by the establishment in their primary races—conservative outsiders have an inside track to the upper chamber.
> Not many current members of Congress can credibly claim the “outsider” mantle. But Amash makes a convincing case. He designs his own campaign literature. His brothers are his closest advisers. And in five years, he has gone from unlikely state legislative candidate to potential front-runner for the U.S. Senate.
> The son of a Palestinian immigrant with no formal education, Amash was valedictorian of his high school before graduating magna cum laude from the University of Michigan with a degree in economics. He then earned his J.D. at the UM Law School. Two years later, in 2008, Amash entered the political arena as a decided underdog for a state House seat in western Michigan.
> Facing several better-known candidates, Amash campaigned tirelessly and won the seat, to the surprise and chagrin of local party elders. Midway through his first term in Lansing, Amash set his sights on Washington, gunning for the seat that would soon be vacated by Republican Rep. Vern Ehlers. Once again, Amash faced a crowded field of veteran candidates. And once again, he outworked them and scored an upset victory. Having been reelected in 2012, Amash is now staring down a once-in-a-generation opportunity: an open Senate seat in his native Michigan. He hasn’t decided whether he’ll run, but those who have witnessed his rapid rise aren’t betting against him.
> “He’s something,” said Republican National Committee member Terri Lynn Land, who’s also considering a bid for Levin’s seat. Land worked for a rival campaign in 2008, and recalls witnessing how Amash—“this kid”—outhustled the competition. Two years later, Land watched again as Amash defeated her preferred candidate, this time for a prized congressional seat. “I’ve told a lot of people about him, but nobody believes me. And he just keeps winning,” Land said. “I don’t underestimate Justin Amash anymore.”
> ...

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## UtahApocalypse

Just read this. Very good article. Wish he would announce already!!

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## FSP-Rebel

Looks like he's pulling a Rand here. Obviously going to run just beating around the bush getting things primed while cashing in on free media.

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## Rocco

If Amash decides to run for Senate, I can't see how that could not be priority #1 for the liberty movement. I know we have Graham to take out and Greg Brannon and Joe Miller already on our plate, but Amash in the senate is too much to pass up.

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## tsai3904

If Amash decides to run, how much time will he commit to campaign?  He's put a lot of emphasis on never missing a vote and reading all the bills.  Would he be willing to sacrifice missing some votes to hold events back home or will he have enough time to do both?

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## itshappening

> If Amash decides to run for Senate, I can't see how that could not be priority #1 for the liberty movement. I know we have Graham to take out and Greg Brannon and Joe Miller already on our plate, but Amash in the senate is too much to pass up.


MI is very, very expensive.  You're talking tens of millions rather than a few million like other states.

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## whoisjohngalt

> MI is very, very expensive.  You're talking tens of millions rather than a few million like other states.


Probably 20 million all in for both the primary and general.

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## FSP-Rebel

If in fact Liberty For All PAC is pledging ~$1mill for the primary, I'm sure the grassroots can dish up another $2mill or so to really make him a worthy challenger. Once he's in the general election the mega republican money will come pouring in as it will be a major priority for republicans to pick up this seat. I can also see the likes of Rand, Cruz and Palin campaigning for him in addition to him getting lots of love from conservative talk radio and grassroots tea party folk from around the country. There's many dem Senators running for reelection and they'll be in save their majority status but they will be strung out. Plus, it will cost them more than usual to build up their own challenger here. And, it'll likely be a republican favored year across the board.

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## supermario21

I think you could strike a deal with the establishment where you let them play in Iowa, Arkansas, South Dakota, West Virginia, Louisiana and we (Tea Partiers, Senate Conservative Fund, Liberty Groups, etc) work really hard on South Carolina, Michigan, and maybe Alaska. The Michigan seat will be on the 2nd tier of targeted seats anyway so we could probably go in their without much opposition. Cruz is on the NRSCC for the 14 cycle so he could help us out.

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## Uriah

Amash must be running for this seat. Free press is all this seems to be imo.

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## Brett85

Are independents allowed to vote in Republican primaries in Michigan?

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## supermario21

Yes, I think you only have to declare for presidential primaries, and even then all you need to do is ask for a party ballot when you go vote, it's not restrictive at all.

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## Brett85

> Yes, I think you only have to declare for presidential primaries, and even then all you need to do is ask for a party ballot when you go vote, it's not restrictive at all.


That will definitely help Amash.  It would be really hard for Justin to win a GOP Senate primary if only Republicans were allowed to vote.  He's taken some votes that will hurt him with Republicans in Michigan, like his "present" vote on defunding Planned Parenthood.  Hopefully he'll do a good job explaining that and some of his other votes.

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## trey4sports

can he still hold onto his Rep. seat if he loses the primary?

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## Spoa

> can he still hold onto his Rep. seat if he loses the primary?


No. As far as I know, he can't. That is why we better make sure he has a good liberty-minded replacement waiting in the background.

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## Bastiat's The Law

> If in fact Liberty For All PAC is pledging ~$1mill for the primary, I'm sure the grassroots can dish up another $2mill or so to really make him a worthy challenger. Once he's in the general election the mega republican money will come pouring in as it will be a major priority for republicans to pick up this seat. I can also see the likes of Rand, Cruz and Palin campaigning for him in addition to him getting lots of love from conservative talk radio and grassroots tea party folk from around the country. There's many dem Senators running for reelection and they'll be in save their majority status but they will be strung out. Plus, it will cost them more than usual to build up their own challenger here. And, it'll likely be a republican favored year across the board.


Agreed.  We'd have to cough up the initial investment in the primary to make Amash a top contender.  $3 million sounds about right.  Win the primary and we can take a bit of a breather.  Can we raise the big money for someone without the Paul last name?  Remember, Liberty PAC saved our butt when it came to Massie and a few others, and he was a longtime forum member here!    I'm usually extremely optimistic, but sometimes we leave our candidates to die on the vine.

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## Bastiat's The Law

> I think you could strike a deal with the establishment where you let them play in Iowa, Arkansas, South Dakota, West Virginia, Louisiana and we (Tea Partiers, Senate Conservative Fund, Liberty Groups, etc) work really hard on South Carolina, Michigan, and maybe Alaska. The Michigan seat will be on the 2nd tier of targeted seats anyway so we could probably go in their without much opposition. Cruz is on the NRSCC for the 14 cycle so he could help us out.


Don't forget North Carolina with Greg Brannon.  I think he'd have an excellent shot at winning if he get him through the primary.

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## Adrock

> No. As far as I know, he can't. That is why we better make sure he has a good liberty-minded replacement waiting in the background.


Exactly. I hope they have someone to backfill.

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## Bastiat's The Law

> Exactly. I hope they have someone to backfill.


There has to be an Amash protege in that area, no?

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## Adrock

> There has to be an Amash protege in that area, no?


A Liberty candidate? Probably. One that has solid credentials, story, and political chops? Not sure, but I hope someone is looking for him or her.

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## supermario21

Amash is friends with the Lt. Gov, and he said he wouldn't run to replace Amash if he were to run for Senate. Don't know if he's a liberty guy or not but that friendship could help in a primary, especially with Snyder's approval bouncing back up.

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## Rothbardian Girl

Is it just me, or does this worry anyone else? Are there any suitable backups in case he does lose? It seems like he will need a lot of money to stay competitive. I just hope we don't have a net loss here.

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## supermario21

The benefits far outweigh the negatives. We have Massie and a good cohort of solid liberty guys in the House. It's time to expand our presence in the Senate, and the open seat in Michigan is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

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## supermario21

Sounds like a man ready to run...





> Justin Amash ‏@justinamash 1h
> Stand together for personal & economic freedom. Who's with me?

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## misean

I am kind of hoping Ben Carson might run for this office. He's from Detroit and if he is going to run this is probably his best opportunity.

As far as Amash, he could conceivably win, especially in an off Presidential year. We've had a couple of Rep. governors. It seems like a pretty big gamble for not that much reward. He has a fairly safe seat in Grand Rapids.  The two Senators now are very liberal. A lot would have to go right for Amash to win.

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## TaftFan

> Is it just me, or does this worry anyone else? Are there any suitable backups in case he does lose? It seems like he will need a lot of money to stay competitive. I just hope we don't have a net loss here.


Don Volaric could possibly be recruited.

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## cheapseats

If Liberty folk propelled into office by Liberty folk would SIT TIGHT & HOLD THAT HILL while reinforcements are ALSO propelled into office...more eggs in the basket, an official VOTING BLOC...that would be much better for Liberty, for Commoners, for Activists, for America, for Principles AND FOR POCKETBOOKS than the (I think preposterous) game "plan" of sinking disproportionate resources into fast-tracking puny individuals up ladders that Inside Operators have been greasing for DECADES.

Why can't Rand Paul "just" be an increasingly powerful senator for awhile?  Why can't Justin Amash "just" be in the effin' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES for awhile?

Do PUNY INDIVIDUALS imagine that America's ills have been awaiting SPECIFICALLY THEM & ONLY THEM for remediation?

Thomas Massie is M.I.T. smart.

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## compromise

> If Liberty folk propelled into office by Liberty folk would SIT TIGHT & HOLD THAT HILL while reinforcements are ALSO propelled into office...more eggs in the basket, an official VOTING BLOC...that would be much better for Liberty, for Commoners, for Activists, for America, for Principles AND FOR POCKETBOOKS than the (I think preposterous) game "plan" of sinking disproportionate resources into fast-tracking puny individuals up ladders that Inside Operators have been greasing for DECADES.
> 
> Why can't Rand Paul "just" be an increasingly powerful senator for awhile?  Why can't Justin Amash "just" be in the effin' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES for awhile?
> 
> Do PUNY INDIVIDUALS imagine that America's ills have been awaiting SPECIFICALLY THEM & ONLY THEM for remediation?
> 
> Thomas Massie is M.I.T. smart.


Amash was purged from several major committees. He has a lot less power than he used to have.

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## LibertyEagle

> If in fact Liberty For All PAC is pledging ~$1mill for the primary, I'm sure the grassroots can dish up another $2mill or so to really make him a worthy challenger. Once he's in the general election the mega republican money will come pouring in as it will be a major priority for republicans to pick up this seat. I can also see the likes of Rand, Cruz and Palin campaigning for him in addition to him getting lots of love from conservative talk radio and grassroots tea party folk from around the country. There's many dem Senators running for reelection and they'll be in save their majority status but they will be strung out. Plus, it will cost them more than usual to build up their own challenger here. And, it'll likely be a republican favored year across the board.


I hope so.  Because as I recall, Amash had a hard time raising 10,000 dollars during his election and that was even with Ron Paul's help.

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## cheapseats

> Amash was purged from several major committees. He has a lot less power than he used to have.



Yep.  Game-players get PUNISHED for not following rules/towing lines.  He was not evicted from OFFICE, however.  

STAND OUR GROUND.  HOLD THAT HILL/OFFICE.  

Am I not reading giddy post after giddy post after giddier post about how more and more longtime SCHMUCKS are "coming around"?

MOREOVER, explain to me how a House Member "stripped of power" makes a strong candidate for HIGHER office.

It is commonly held that "Democrats fall in love; Republicans fall in line", but a BIG stumbling block for the Liberty Moovement is how many "free thinkers" FALL IN LOVE with "their" politicians.

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## Kregisen

He should absolutely run for senate. He will never get popular as a lone congressman whose 1 voice out of 500+ does little. Senators are only out of 100, and their chance to became famous (look at Rand) are exponentially greater.

The amount of good he can do goes up dramatically if he becomes a senator. Even if worse case happens and he loses, he could always run for congress again 2 more years. It's not a big loss.

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## cheapseats

> He should absolutely run for senate. He will never get popular as a lone congressman...



Review photos of longtime "lone congressman" Ron Paul's rally at UCLA.

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## ican'tvote

> Review photos of longtime "lone congressman" Ron Paul's rally at UCLA.


That lone congressman was a presidential candidate.

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## cheapseats

> That lone congressman was a presidential candidate.



Um, that'd be the point: Lone Congressman Becomes Beloved Underdog Moovement Uniter.

RON PAUL PUT IN HIS TIME before seeking higher office.

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## supermario21

> Um, that'd be the point: Lone Congressman Becomes Beloved Underdog Moovement Uniter.
> 
> HE PUT IN HIS TIME before seeking higher office.



Actually, he ran for Senate very early in his career. He was defeated in the primary by Phil Gramm though.

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## cheapseats

> Actually, he ran for Senate very early in his career. He was defeated in the primary by Phil Gramm though.


Let that be a lesson, then.

I am not a military person.  But intuitively, when one's numbers are small and disadvantaged, it seems not just more important but MUCH more important for hill-takers to hold the hills they take and for grassroots to find/recruit/groom MORE hill-takers, rather than ADVANCING one too-small batch of hill-takers from hill to hill.

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