Justin Amash Targeted by Michigan GOP Business Establishment for Lacking Party Discipline

The Hill
reports today on attempts to take down libertarian-leaning
Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan on the part of big party
donors:

In a letter obtained by The Hill, prominent Michigan donors
request financial backing for Amash’s primary challenger, Brian
Ellis. Seven individuals, including prominent Michigan businessmen
Mark Bissell, J.C. Huizenga and Mike Jandernoa, signed the
fundraising plea.

They argue that Amash “and others have effectively nullified the
Republican majority in the U.S. House.”

“[Amash] and a small group of like-minded legislators
rejected Speaker Boehner’s plea to pass legislation requiring
Congress and the president be subject to ObamaCare, and put on hold
the special new tax on medical equipment. This irresponsible action
hurt over 50 great West Michigan businesses and was part of the
chaos that led the nation to the edge of default,” the letter
says.

The letter was printed on Ellis’s campaign
stationery.

“These are folks I’ve known for a long time, and they’re excited
about my candidacy,” Ellis told The Hill.

Ellis said his supporters have expressed frustration with the
conservative wing of the GOP and the shutdown strategy….

Not every business interest is peeved with Amash:

An aide to Amash’s congressional campaign said the letter’s
signatories don’t speak for the Grand Rapids business community,
and noted that the congressman has substantial business
support.

Executives at direct-selling giant Amway, for example, are
backing Amash. 

The Amash campaign shared with The Hill a letter from Doug
DeVos, Amway’s president, calling on donors to support the
lawmaker. In addition, Steve Van Andel, Amway’s chairman who also
chairs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, has
already contributed the maximum $5,200 allowed to Amash’s campaign
for the 2014 election cycle.

The National Federation of Independent Business previously
endorsed Amash, and a spokesman for the group said while it hadn’t
made a decision on the race this cycle, the group wouldn’t endorse
his opponent because Amash has had such a strong record on the
group’s issues in Congress.

The Amash aide also defended the lawmaker’s record, noting that
during the shutdown fight, Amash only defied GOP leadership on the
final deal that reopened the government and lifted the debt
ceiling.
 

My March Reason feature
interview with Amash and some other “liberty movement” House
Republicans.