Michigan Republican U.S. Rep. Justin Amash is considering a run for the Senate following the decision of Carl Levin not to seek a seventh term.
The congressman — famously dubbed a “wacko bird” by Sen. John McCain last week — told a radio interviewer he is “totally undecided at this point,” on the run.
He said he is happy with his role as a member of the House of Representatives but that the “Old Guard” of Republicans has to be replaced.
"People want someone who's accountable, who explains themselves, shows up for work every day,” he told
radio host Frank Beckmann. “Those are all important things. A lot of guys from the older generation, they don't have those attributes."
The sophomore Representative said for now, he's able to “get us to return to some of the principles and values that we claim to believe in, including following the Constitution.”
Democrat Levin, 78, said earlier this month that he plans to retire in 2014. Amash, 32, has been mentioned as a potential candidate, but he could face competition from much bigger GOP names, including U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, Mitt Romney’s brother, Scott, former Secretary of State Terry Lynn Land, and House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dave Camp.
Amash’s take-no-prisoners style has landed him in hot water with his own party in his short time in Washington. Last week, Sen. John McCain called him and Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas “wacko birds” during an interview. McCain has since apologized to the senators but not to Amash.
Speaker John Boehner booted him from the House budget committee in December in what was seen as a message to conservative Republicans to toe the party line. Rather than cave, Amash blasted back saying that if the party leadership thought the move would stifle him they are “dead wrong.”
But he has backing from libertarian and tea party supporters, and says a GOP candidate can appeal to independent and moderate voters if he or she is “willing to look at all the issues and (believe) in free market philosophy."
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