Opponents say he's a "libertarian ideologue"

From Eric Dondero:

Justin Amash is a young first-term State Legislator representing a Western Michigan district. A son or immigrant parents, Amash is of Christian Lebanese descent. He is a friend of Libertarian Republican former State Rep. Leon Drolet and a frequent attendee of meetings of the Michigan Republican Liberty Caucus. He is also an active Tea Partyer, and Tax Fighter, involved with the Michigan Tea Party Alliance, and the MI Taxpayer's Association.

Amash is a Pro-Defense Libertarian. From his website:

The full force of our armed forces should be unleashed when presented with genuine threats to our safety, such as active foreign aggression or invasion... I share former President George W. Bush's vision... Israel's borders must be secure, recognized, and defensible...

Amash has been one of several candidates battling for the top spot on the Republican side for the seat of retiring Congressman Vern Ehlers. Now in a welcome development for the Libertarian Republican movement, Amash has pulled slightly ahead.

From MLive.com, Aug. 1:

Upstart Justin Amash builds support in outlying areas of 3rd Congressional District but remains within reach of rivals, Press poll shows State Rep. Justin Amash has opened a small lead over his two chief rivals in the 3rd Congressional District Republican primary, a Press poll finds.

The Cascade Township Republican is favored by 28 percent, followed by state Sen. Bill Hardiman at 23 percent and former Kent County Commission chairman Steve Heacock at 17 percent, according to the poll by Practical Political Consulting.

"An independent-minded Conservative"

Amash is being supported with TV ads by the economic libertarian group Club for Growth. He also has backing from the powerful economic libertarian DeVos family of Michigan. Continuing:

Amash could counter with endorsements from Amway co-founder Richard DeVos and GOP power couple Dick and Betsy DeVos.

But Amash is perhaps betting more he can best ride this year’s tide of voter unrest, appealing to tea party types and independents.

Hardiman and Heacock have chipped away at Amash as a libertarian ideologue who would be a poor representative.

They point to Amash’s “no” votes on bills that toughened penalties for human trafficking, that would have prevented utilities from shutting off power to elderly customers and that allow military personnel who are deployed overseas to get out of their cell phone contracts.

Amash responded by calling himself “an independent-minded conservative.”