Amash Blasts Defeated Opponent: ‘I Ran For Office to Stop People Like You’

Having
survived a primary challenge from a neoconservative crony
capitalist supporter of the Export-Import Bank, Rep. Justin Amash
(R-Mich.) had no intention of making nice with an opponent who had
branded him “al-Qaida’s best friend” in Congress.

Brian Ellis, who lost to Amash 57 percent to 43 percent in
Tuesday’s primary, called to concede and congratulate the victor.
But Amash rejected the call, lambasting Ellis for running “a
ridiculous, despicable smear campaign.”

In his victory speech, Amash called on Ellis to apologize:

“You owe my family and this community an apology for your
disgusting, despicable smear campaign. You had the audacity to try
and call me today after running a campaign that was called the
nastiest in the country. I ran for office to stop people like you.
To stop people who were more interested in themselves than in doing
what’s best for their district. Everyday Americans are taking back
their government from the crooks and the cronies. They are taking
back their government from the political class elites.”

He also mocked former Republican House Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who
backed Ellis:

“You are a disgrace. And I’m glad we could hand you one
more loss before you fade into total obscurity and
irrelevance.”

Watch a video of the speech
here, courtesy of The Washington Post.

More on Amash from Reason
here.