Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash Will Not Run For President

Michigan Rep. Justin Amash (L) announced Saturday that he will not run for president as a third-party candidate.

“I’ve spent nearly three weeks assessing the race, appearing in media, talking to delegates and donors, watching the Libertarian Party’s convention plan unfold, and gathering feedback from family, friends, and other advisers,” he wrote in a series of tweets about his decision. “After much reflection, I’ve concluded that circumstances don’t lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate.”

Amash began contemplating the idea in April, announcing at the end of the month that he was launching an exploratory committee.

He called the decision to drop the bid “difficult” and emphasized the need for political parties to find common ground.

“Polarization is near an all-time high,” he tweeted. “Electoral success requires an audience willing to consider alternatives, but both social media and traditional media are dominated by voices strongly averse to the political risks posed by a viable third candidate.”

He added that the Libertarian Party “is well positioned to become a major and consistent contender to win elections at all levels of government.”

“I remain invested in helping the party realize these possibilities and look forward to the successes ahead,” Amash said.