Former Rep. Justin Amash, who left the Republican Party after backing the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, is taking the first step toward a GOP run for Michigan’s open Senate seat.

Amash, who served five terms in Congress representing West Michigan, posted on X that he was launching an exploratory committee to consider jumping into the crowded race as a Republican despite saying he identified as an independent and later as a Libertarian. 

“I’ve been humbled in recent weeks by the many people who have urged me to run for Senate in Michigan,” Amash said in the post. “Today I’m launching the Justin Amash for Senate Exploratory Committee as I consider entering the race.”

In 2019, Amash broke with the Republican Party and then voted to impeach Trump over allegations he abused the power of his office by asking Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden. He became an Independent and then a Libertarian and decided not to seek reelection to the House.

In 2020, he formed an exploratory committee to consider a Libertarian Party White House run but decided against launching the third-party challenge to Trump.

There’s a packed field of contenders in the race for the GOP nomination to succeed retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). The candidates include former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, entrepreneur Sandy Pensler, and former GOP Rep. Peter Meijer. Amash made the case that none of the Republican candidates currently competing are up for the job. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“Contenders for the seat who are uninspired, unserious, and unprepared to tackle the chief impediment to liberty and economic prosperity—an overgrown and abusive government that strives to centralize power and snuff out individualism,” Amash said in the post. “The people of Michigan and our country deserve better.”

Amash has not given a time frame as to when he’ll decide to jump into the race. On the Democratic side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), actor Hill Harper, businessman Nasser Beydoun, former state representative Leslie Love, and lawyer Zack Burns are running for the nomination.