Congress Gets Its First Capital-L Libertarian | Eastern NC Now

Publisher's note: The author of this post is Mitch Kokai for the John Locke Foundation.

    Emily Larsen of the Washington Examiner highlights a political change on Capitol Hill.

• Justin Amash will not seek another term in his House seat as he launches a presidential bid and becomes the first Libertarian member of Congress.
• "My campaign is paused, but, frankly, I'm running this campaign for president, and I don't intend to return to my congressional campaign," Amash said in an interview with Reason Tuesday night. ...
• ... In comments to the Detroit News, Amash said: "At the end of the day, I'm trying to think about what is best for the country, and I really think, right now, the more important thing is that the American people have an alternative."
• The 40-year-old Michigan congressman announced an exploratory committee for a Libertarian Party presidential bid on Tuesday.
• Amash, who became an independent after leaving the Republican Party via a 2019 Independence Day announcement, said he intends to change his party registration with the House clerk to Libertarian. He will be the first member of Congress to be part of the Libertarian Party.
• "I don't think there's been another Libertarian in Congress, so I will be the first, and I'm happy to do that," Amash said.
• Many commentators lamented Amash joining the presidential race, arguing that his third-party run could boost President Trump's chances of winning.
• Amash, though, is not phased by the criticism. He told the Detroit News that Biden's bid looks like a "vanity project" and that Trump "isn't well in many ways."
• "The visceral outrage of many partisans to giving Americans an additional choice on the ballot speaks volumes about the ugly, hyperpartisan nature of politics today. This is precisely the mindset that needs to be challenged and why this campaign is so critical," Amash said in a tweet on Wednesday.

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