Amash, Justin, 1980-

AMASH, Justin, a Representative from Michigan; born in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mich., April 18, 1980; graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1998; A.B., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., 2002; J.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., 2005; lawyer, private practice; member of the Michigan state house of representatives, 2008-2010; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Twelfth and to the four succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2011-January 3, 2021); changed party affiliation from a Republican to an Independent on July 4, 2019; changed party affiliation from an Independent to a Libertarian on May 1, 2020; was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress in 2020.

<p>Justin Amash (/əˈmɑːʃ/ ə-MAHSH; born April 18, 1980) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district from 2011 to 2021. Originally a member of the Republican Party, Amash became an independent in July 2019 before joining the Libertarian Party in April 2020, becoming the party's first, and as of 2021, only member of Congress. Amash did not run for reelection in 2020, and was succeeded by Republican Peter Meijer.</p>

<p>A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Amash was born to Arab Christian parents who had emigrated to the United States. After high school, he studied economics at the University of Michigan, graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, and then briefly worked as a corporate lawyer and consultant before entering politics.</p>

<p>Amash represented the 72nd district in the Michigan House of Representatives for one term before being elected to Congress in 2010. From 2011 to 2019, Amash missed only one of 5,374 roll call votes. He was the founder and chairperson of the Liberty Caucus and was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, which he left in June 2019. Amash received national attention when he became the first Republican congressman to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump, a position he maintained after leaving the party.</p>

<p>After months of speculation that he would enter the presidential race, Amash announced the formation of an exploratory committee to seek the Libertarian presidential nomination in April 2020. The next month, however, he announced that he would not run.</p>