Establishment Republicans are finding Rep. Justin Amash hard to take.

But beating him in the primary won't likely be easy.

Establishment Republicans are finding Rep. Justin Amash hard to take.

But beating him in the primary won't likely be easy.

Here in the Dutch Reformed country of West Michigan, long a bastion of mainstream, mannerly conservatism, voters in 2010 handed the House seat once held by Gerald R. Ford to Justin Amash, a 33-year-old revolutionary and heir to the libertarian mantle of former congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex.). Amash was part of an attempted coup against House Speaker John A. Boehner (R- Ohio) and is a leader of the House tea party faction that helped force a government shutdown last week. But within Grand Rapids’ powerful business establishment, patience is running low with Amash’s ideological agenda and tactics. Some business leaders are recruiting a Republican primary challenger who they hope will serve the old-fashioned way—by working the inside game and playing nice to gain influence and solve problems for the district.

Some tea party insurgents are running into trouble from the Republican establishment they beat up so badly in several congressional districts in the past two election seasons, writes Philip Rucker:Even having the Chamber of Commerce against him doesn't, however, mean that Amash is cruising for a bruising come November. First of all, the establishment doesn't yet have that primary candidate. And second, Rick Santorum beat Mitt Romney in this district, an indication of the hold tea party extremists have on the minds of voters there.

Amash isn't, however, isn't incumbent who faces some head-shaking on his home turf. And in some places, the establishment Republican has a good chance of getting GOP business-as-usual restored.

Read more about GOP establishment v. tea party primary fights below the fold.