Justin Amash announces Republican bid for Michigan U.S. Senate seat after having previously left GOP

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, who left the GOP in 2019 after calling for the impeachment of then-President Donald Trump, announced a Republican bid for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat Thursday.

Amash represented Grand Rapids from 2011 to 2021, and he becomes the third former U.S. representative to join the Republican field vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat. Former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meijer have also announced Republican campaigns, as has businessman Sandy Pensler.

“I’m convinced that no candidate would be better positioned to win both the Republican primary and the general election,” Amash said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. “That’s why, today, I’m making it official: I’m joining the race for United States Senate in Michigan.”

The decision to jump into the Republican primary comes after Amash left the party to become an independent. He had been the lone House Republican to support a Trump impeachment inquiry in 2019.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Ousted Michigan Republican Party chair loses key ruling at appeals court </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Caitlin Clark’s record-setting night fuels No. 6 Iowa in 108-60 win at Minnesota </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> No. 2 Ohio St knocks off Michigan 67-51 for 15th straight win and sole possession of Big Ten title </bsp-custom-headline> </bsp-list-loadmore>

He opted not to seek reelection to