The primary race is in the beginning stages of what could be an epic throwdown. Taking on a die-hard tea partier

The establishment scored huge victories in primary races Tuesday. Their next potential target: Rep. Justin Amash.

Business groups, executives in Michigan and even some of his fellow home state Republicans are abandoning the hard-line tea party conservative, famous in Washington for voting “no” on bills as wide ranging as the debt ceiling to defense funding.


Members of the Meijers family, owners of the massive Midwest supermarket chain, are all in behind Brian Ellis, Amash’s Republican primary challenger. As are the political arms of Home Depot, Dow Chemical and the International Franchise Association.

The primary race is in the beginning stages of what could be an epic throwdown in August between the business community, usually reluctant to play in a Republican primary, and big conservative outsiders, including the Koch brothers and the Club for Growth, who are dumping money into Amash’s campaign.

( Also on POLITICO: Poll: Opposition to tea party rises)

It is just one example of the many battles playing out in Republican races all across the country, where an emboldened establishment wing has accused movement conservatives of straying too far from the party’s pro-business roots — and winning.

“Once you get to know [Amash], and I know that district from being around Michigan for long enough, he’s completely out of line with these people,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, a senior Michigan Republican in an interview. “He votes more with the Democrats than with the Republicans, and that’s not out of principle, that’s out of him branding himself as something different.”

Rogers even cut Ellis a $5,000 check, a bold move for a fellow Republican Michigander.

The president of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce said his group will consider endorsing Ellis, adding that many one-time Amash business supporters have switched their allegiances after growing frustrated with his voting record and unhelpful office on even routine matters.

And Amash isn’t getting love from the rest of his Wolverine State colleagues in D.C., either. Lawmakers and corporate and association PACs are typically wary of putting money up against a sitting member of Congress, but many have started to pour money into Ellis’ campaign. Ellis is the founder of an investment advisory firm.

( Also on POLITICO: Thom Tillis beats tea party challenge in North Carolina)

“Because my vote explanations shine a spotlight on Congress, I’ve upset people who are used to operating in the dark,” said Amash in a statement. “They don’t like having their votes exposed as fringe and outside the mainstream.”

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) said he will stay neutral. Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) said she didn’t know if she would weigh in, before running into the House chamber.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Amash isn’t a “serious member of Congress,” and added “this is someone here playing games, and trying to be on the opposite side of Republicans.” Nunes gave his opponent $5,000.

Nunes said his dealings with Amash on a water bill critical to California turned him off.

“He’s been leading the charge and not telling the truth about [NSA surveillance policies],” Nunes said in an interview. “He’s been fanning the flames, and it gets to the point where my assessment is this is a guy willing to work with San Francisco Democrats to protect bait fish, and at the same time he’s Al Qaeda’s best friend in the Congress.”

Amash has been critical of the National Security Agency and caused a floor fight last year over a controversial amendment to curb the agency’s ability to collect phone data from Americans.

( On the Ground: How Lindsey Graham outmaneuvered the tea party)

Amash defended himself against Nunes’ attacks.

“I vote less often with Nancy Pelosi, the real San Francisco Democrat, than any member of Congress. I opposed Nunes’ water bill on constitutional grounds, and his comments are unbecoming of a representative,” Amash said.

The push to try to beat back against the conservative flank is a continuing trend for the party. On Tuesday night, GOP establishment forces defeated a Rand Paul-endorsed candidate in North Carolina, and Speaker John Boehner obliterated a self-branded tea party challenger who had support from outside groups.

Main Street Partnership President Steve LaTourette said Tuesday night’s primary establishment victories will just increase how aggressive groups get in the upcoming primaries and general elections.

“They are looking for their first win of the season and I think our guys are happy with what happened in North Carolina and Ohio and if you look at that we’re going to remind [Club for Growth President Chris] Chocola every time,” LaTourette said.

LaTourette said that it is unlikely Main Street Partnership will enter the Amash race because it is focusing on defending Republican incumbents against conservative challenges.

Several sources said they expected the local chambers of commerce and other outside groups to back Ellis before the August primary.

Ellis said that he has worked hard to introduce himself to people in Michigan and Washington and that is starting to show. He has made two trips to Washington this year, including in March for the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee’s March fundraising dinner, which attracts some of the party’s biggest donors.

“That is now starting to pay dividends as people are very interested in this race and want to get involved, and they don’t see my opponent as being an effective representative,” Ellis said, noting that many groups and donors who typically avoid primaries have started to contribute to his campaign. “I’m finding that even back in the district where people might typically sit out of the primary are saying, ‘No, we want the right kind of representation. I’m going to stand up and support him.’”

Amash said that Ellis is really the one out of touch with his constituents.

“It’s not a close race. Brian Ellis has little support from ordinary folks in West Michigan, and he’s racking up hundreds of thousands in debt,” Amash said. “Ellis is running on more corporate welfare, unconstitutional spying and support for Common Core. Wishful thinking can’t save a guy this out of touch.”

And he still maintains a large cash advantage. Club for Growth has bundled more than $200,000 for Amash this cycle. Americans for Prosperity also spent roughly $230,000 in February on ads supporting Amash.

Amash also has some high-profile Michigan support, including from the DeVos family, some of the state’s most prominent Republican donors. Many of his Republican colleagues have contributed to his campaign coffers, including Reps. Trey Gowdy (S.C.), Raul Labrador (Idaho), Mick Mulvaney (S.C.) and Tim Huelskamp (Kansas).

Conservative Republican Rep. Ted Yoho (Fla.) said that he appreciates Amash’s libertarian stance. He gave Amash $1,000.

“I think our country needs that, the liberal progressive agenda has gone too far in this country,” Yoho said. “And I think Justin is going to be the better person to have in there at this point in time in our country’s history. I would hope more people would support Justin.”

Delta Airlines, Koch Industries, FreedomWorks and the law firm DLA Piper have all contributed to Amash through their PACs.

Amash had more than double the amount of money in his campaign coffers as of the end of March with about $841,000. Ellis had $413,o00 cash on hand and has loaned his campaign $400,00 over the course of his campaign.

Still, Ellis has already attracted an unusual amount of support for a challenger inside the Beltway.

The Business-Industry Political Action Committee, which recently endorsed him, cut a $2,000 check to his campaign. Home Depot, Dow Chemical and the International Franchise Association’s political arms each contributed $5,000 to Ellis’ campaign. The Association for Advanced Life Underwriters pitched in $2,5000 and the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers cut a $1,000 check.

“IFA is working to elect people who are going to support pro-growth, economic principles,” said Jay Perron of the trade association’s decision to throw its support behind Ellis. In addition to writing a PAC check, IFA has introduced Ellis to members of its trade association.

House Republican leadership is staying officially out of the race, but one lobbyist said that they had received no blowback for supporting a challenger trying to oust Amash as would be expected in most races.

Michigan native and veteran lobbyist Mark Valente has also gotten behind Ellis, helping introduce him to the Washington money set. The Fund for American Opportunity PAC where Valente serves as treasurer contributed $5,000 to Ellis.

He’s also drawn support from several high-profile Michigan business execs. Several senior employees at DTW Energy, including the company’s President Gerard Anderson, have written personal checks to Ellis. Douglas Meijer, co-chair of the Michigan-based grocery chain Meijer, and Mark Meijer, founder of Life EMS Inc. in Grand Rapids, have both thrown their support behind Ellis.

Michigan Chamber of Commerce President Richard Studley said that many business leaders in the Wolverine State are frustrated by Amash not only because of his voting pattern but also because many have found his office to “not be very friendly or helpful even on routine matters.”

Studley, who has met with Ellis, said the state chamber will make a decision in mid-June whether it will get involved in the primary.

“Brian Ellis isn’t someone who is tilting at windmills,” Studley said, calling him “very impressive.”