GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (L-Cascade Township) tweeted Saturday he is dropping his bid to the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee.
The decision comes just a week before the party's national convention would have taken place and nearly three weeks after the congressman formed an exploratory committee for president back in April.
"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 tweeted.
Amash said the decision was difficult, "especially having seen grassroots supporters put so much effort into this campaign." A national poll released in early May found just 5% of voters supported Amash for president.
Amash also said the decision was based, in part, on limited opportunities for "lesser-known" candidates in a third party to secure media opportunities during the pandemic.
"Today, most Americans are understandably more interested in what life will look like tomorrow than they are in broader policy debates, and news coverage has reflected those priorities," he said on Twitter. "At the same time, fundraising challenges posed by an idled economy will hinder advertising."
Amash also cited the uncertainty regarding online voting, the ability of 50-state ballot access and its legal challenged and well as uniting as a party all as reasons why he pulled his presidential bid.
"I remain invested in helping the party realize these possibilities and look forward to the successes ahead," Amash said.
During his time considering a presidential run, Amash put his congressional campaign on pause. He's represented Michigan's 3rd Congressional district for five terms. Amash did not officially suspend his run for Congress and so far, five Republicans and one Democrat have filed to run for the 3rd District primary in August.
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