The Potential Of Justin Amash To “Mess Up” The 2020 Presidential Election Is High

Michigan Congressman Justin Amash, elected as a Tea Party Congressman in the Republican “wave” of 2010, went on to a ten year career, including heading the “Liberty Caucus” and being a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, an extreme right wing group that warred against Speaker John Boehner and his successor, Paul Ryan.

Amash went on to vote for the impeachment of Donald Trump in 2019, and to leave the Republican Party, and now he is an announced candidate for the Libertarian Party Presidential nomination.

Considering that Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party nominee received about 3.3 percent of the popular vote and 4.5 million votes in 2016, it is a concern whether Amash could perform at the same level in 2020, and whether it would harm Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the election.

Amash is complicated, as he supports the following that could bring over disaffected Democrats who wanted Bernie Sanders:

He voted against religious institutions being eligible for FEMA grants.

He supported gay marriage being left alone after the Supreme Court ruled in favor in 2015.

He has stated his opposition to political gerrymandering.

He voted against the reauthorization of the Patriot Act in 2011.

He voted against the Trump executive order banning migrating of people from seven majority Muslim nations.

He has stated his support of transgender American rights.

He has opposed building a Mexico Wall.

He has refused to support Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without agreement that there have been abuses that need to be addressed, while believing in the basic mission of ICE.

He has opposed US support of Saudi Arabia in its war against Yemen.

He has voted against any war against Iran by executive decision, only if Congress agreed by majority vote of both houses of Congress.

And of course, he has been a consistent critic of Donald Trump from the beginning.

So, while Amash is a big Trump critic, he could get disaffected Democrats who are not thrilled with Joe Biden, to vote for him, and that could be a decisive factor in his home state of Michigan and other “swing’ states!

33 comments on “The Potential Of Justin Amash To “Mess Up” The 2020 Presidential Election Is High

  1. Former Republican May 3, 2020 11:01 am

    We need to kick Trump out of office. We can’t afford to have a third party ruining that.

  2. Rustbelt Democrat May 3, 2020 11:03 am

    Seconded, Former Republican. If Trump is put back in for a second term, our country and our democracy are doomed.

  3. Princess Leia May 3, 2020 11:35 am

    Amash is an ex-Republican. I think he will pull Republicans who hate Trump away from Trump.

  4. Pragmatic Progressive May 3, 2020 11:51 am

    I agree with Leia. If anything, I think he might be more likely to split the conservative vote.

  5. Rational Lefty May 3, 2020 12:21 pm

    He’ll pull white dudes. Maybe this will hurt Biden, maybe Trump. We’ll have to wait for some numbers. But Biden’s winning coalition does not in any meaningful way intersect with Amash. Any potential loss of male indies for Biden will be offset with Harris as VP.

  6. Princess Leia May 3, 2020 12:25 pm

    Good point, Rational Lefty. Women and people of color want Trump gone and certainly won’t be switching over to vote for Amash.

  7. Jeffrey G Moebus May 3, 2020 7:50 pm

    Thank You, Professor, for addressing “The Amash Problem.”

    You wrote: “So, while Amash is a big Trump critic, he could get disaffected Democrats who are not thrilled with Joe Biden, to vote for him, and that could be a decisive factor in his home state of Michigan and other ‘swing’ states!'”

    Because Congressman Amash is a “big Trump critic,” he could also get disaffected Republicans who are not thrilled at the prospect of four more years of Trump to vote for him, as well; with similar effect in swing states and other places, also as well.

    As You put it: “Amash is complicated… ,” indeed. And he is just as complicated for Libertarians as he is for Democrats [be they corporatists or progressives] and Republicans [be they mainstreamers or Trumpatistas].

    To get a feel for this complexity, read or watch Jacob Hornberger’s eight-part deconstruction of “Amash, The Libertarian Party Interloper” at https://jacobforliberty.com/blog/ .

    Hornberger is also seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination to be President, and presents a very convincing case as to why the Michigan Congressman is most definitely NOT what the LP needs to present to America as an alternative to Trump, Biden, Sanders, or anybody else.

    What sent Hornberger off in particular was a video interview on MSNBC in which “Amash told the American people that he favors having the federal government send a $1,200 check on a monthly basis to every American indefinitely during the coronavirus crisis.

    “Even the MSNBC host was taken aback. He said to Amash that his proposal didn’t sound like “limited government” to him.

    “Amash doubled down and said that of course it is. Big government, he said, is when the federal government sends free checks to corporations and banks. Limited government is when the federal government sends free checks to individuals.”

    This is about as contra-/counter-/anti-Libertarianist a sentiment and statement as is conceivable, and Hornberger explains exactly why.

    Another frother was that “On January 9, 2018, Congressman Justin Amash joined 232 of his Republican colleagues in voting to support House Resolution 676, which stated in part as follows:

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges the Administration to use targeted sanctions and work to convene emergency sessions of the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the ongoing human rights violations perpetrated by the Iranian regime and establish a mechanism by which the Security Council can monitor such violations.”

    Any kind of government interference in the free and open exchange of economic goods, products, and services between individuals, states, or nations is total anathema to Libertarians; particularly sanctions that target the people of the sanctioned government with pain and suffering so as to effect US domination and control of [or, failing that, regime change in] the targeted nation.

    So Amash’s vote for sanctions against Iran [even as he voted against Trump’s scheme to wage war on Iran without prior Congressional approval] is another contradiction in his commitment to what the Libertarian Party is all about. Or should be, as far as Hornberger is concerned.

    The upcoming LP national convention and selection of its Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates for Election 2020 will be quite interesting; and not just for Libertarians, eh?

  8. Southern Liberal May 3, 2020 8:33 pm

    Stacey Abrams is my first pick. And a lot of that has to do with the visual contrast of a Biden/Abrams team.
    1. Older black voters may not care who Joe picks. Younger black voters, who are amongst the most likely to stat home in November, need a reason to back Joe. I don’t see a septuagenarian white woman or a former prosecutor doing that (the CBS/YouGov poll showed next to no difference amongst different age groups which raises a red flag for me as candidates should show some variation).
    2. I love Liz personally, but I want a GenXer in the Veep slot.
    3. Liz and Kamala are both Senators, personally, I’m averse to pulling Senators out of the Senate no matter the circumstance.
    4. Liz and Kamala both have baggage that Trump can exploit. Stacey’s baggage is that she only has 10 years of state government experience. That’s still 10 years more experience than Trump has.

  9. Rational Lefty May 3, 2020 8:40 pm

    2 seventy year old white Northeasterners look like the America that is dying out and not the America that is here and growing. They don’t reflect the diversity of the country or its future or the diversity of the Democratic Party or its future.

  10. Princess Leia May 3, 2020 8:43 pm

    I love Elizabeth, she was my choice, but we can use her in better places like Secretary of the Treasury or Head of the SEC or AG.

  11. Rustbelt Democrat May 3, 2020 8:45 pm

    I just can’t see Stacy Abrams as Vice President. Sorry folks. She does seem to be the future of the party but she’s just not there yet. I’d feel the same about Mayor Pete. A VP pick needs to have experience in the Executive branch and/or Congress or ran a state. Almost being governor but for a travesty of justice is NOT the same as racking up experience running a state as governor.

  12. Ronald May 3, 2020 8:50 pm

    I have been enjoying the back and forth on which woman should be the VP nominee for Joe Biden.

    I commend all of you for bringing up good points!

    I will write an entry tomorrow with my thoughts on this, but I will say that any choice would be far better than Mike Pence!

  13. Former Republican May 3, 2020 9:03 pm

    I hate losing someone from the Senate. I hope he chooses someone from outside, maybe like, Whitmer.

  14. Jeffrey G Moebus May 3, 2020 11:49 pm

    Wouldn’t it be very interesting to see what would happen if Americans could vote to today~ on the 50th anniversary of Kent State ~ and to see how the numbers turned out with the following choices for President:

    1. Trump
    2. Biden
    3. Neither [regardless of their running mate]

  15. D May 4, 2020 12:09 am

    Jeffrey G. Moebus,

    You asked a question (partly directly to me).

    This was in the comments on “Six Months to the Presidential Election of 2020: A First Assessment” (April 30, 2020; https://www.theprogressiveprofessor.com/?p=39219).

    I answered.

  16. Jeffrey G Moebus May 4, 2020 12:40 am

    D. You answered he question of who would get the most votes today, on May 4, between Trump, Biden, and Neither [regardless of their running mate]? If You did, sorry; i seem to have missed it.

  17. Rustbelt Democrat May 4, 2020 8:33 am

    Trumpanzees are angry about having to wear face masks in restaurants and stores.

  18. Former Republican May 4, 2020 8:35 am

    If the election were held today, polling shows that Biden would win.

  19. Princess Leia May 4, 2020 8:38 am

    I agree with what Governor Cuomo said about the masks. The point of wearing them is to keep you from spreading your germs to others in the restaurant or store. By refusing to wear one, you are being disrespectful to others.

  20. Pragmatic Progressive May 4, 2020 9:14 am

    Trump’s ceiling is low to mid 40s. He hasn’t expanded his appeal to anyone who isn’t currently in his base.

  21. Rational Lefty May 4, 2020 5:26 pm

    In VA, non-essential businesses will remain closed through May 14. Governor hopes to start Phase 1 of reopening on May 15.

    Restaurants and bars, salons and barbershops, retail stores, churches, etc. will not be starting off at full capacity.

    It is recommended that people wear face masks/coverings, when out and about in public.

    Phase 1 could last 2-4 weeks or longer.

    Phases 2 and 3 will each last about 3 weeks, consistent with CDC guidelines. Key is continued downward trends in positive tests, hospitalizations, stable supply of PPE, continued robust testing and contract tracing. To move to Phase 3, looking at no evidence of rebound for a sustained period of time.

    https://bluevirginia.us/2020/05/live-video-highlights-gov-ralph-northams-monday-5-4-virginia-covid-19-briefing

  22. Princess Leia May 4, 2020 6:50 pm

    It’s rather impossible to do social distancing at certain types of businesses. That’s why, even when non-essential businesses reopen, I’m going to be amongst the many people in this country who will hold off on going back to certain types of businesses for quite some time, such as a salon, for example.

  23. Pragmatic Progressive May 4, 2020 7:33 pm

    Agreed, Leia. The economy is not going to get back on track as quickly as Trump wishes it would. Even with businesses open, I think many people are going to be cautious until we either get an effective treatment or a vaccine.

  24. Former Republican May 4, 2020 7:47 pm

    Here’s the interesting thing –

    “Moreover, the absence of a link with China and the lack of recent travel suggest that the disease was already spreading among the French population at the end of December, 2019.”

    I think it’s possible that this virus may not have necessarily started in China.

  25. Rational Lefty May 4, 2020 10:16 pm

    A doctor on Lawrence’s show said that there is no immunity for this virus. You can catch it again.

  26. Pragmatic Progressive May 4, 2020 10:34 pm

    Thanks, Rustbelt.

  27. Princess Leia May 5, 2020 10:00 am

    The masks from Walmart that were lost by FedEx are now on their way. So, we have two orders of masks coming.

  28. Pragmatic Progressive May 5, 2020 2:39 pm

    Monmouth poll has Trump’s approval rating falling from 46% in March to 43%, his disapproval rating rising from 48% in March to 51%, and most people don’t think that salons, movie theaters, gyms, etc. should be reopening right now and that measures by the federal government to slow the spread of the virus have not gone far enough.

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