WASHINGTON – A Republican state representative plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, after Amash said this weekend he believes President Donald Trump committed impeachable offenses.

State Rep. Jim Lower, R-Greenville, announced that he would run for the 3rd Congressional District seat Amash has held since 2011 and would forgo a race for a third term in the state House.

Lower said he had been planning to run for some time and had expected to make an announcement closer to July 4. But he said he decided to move up that schedule after Amash said on Twitter on Saturday that after reading Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report he believes the president committed impeachable offenses.

Amash became the first Republican to voice support for impeachment. Trump attacked Amash on Sunday on Twitter, calling him a "loser" and saying Amash only made the remarks to get attention.

Lower described himself as "pro-Trump" in making his announcement.

"Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trump’s impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents," Lower said. "He must be replaced and I am going to do it."

Amash, who has shown a fierce libertarian streak throughout his time in Congress, has often run afoul of other members of his party. Typically, Amash, who is staunchly conservative and believes in limited government, has refused to vote for legislation which he feels is too compromising or violates principles he believes should be held.

Past efforts to defeat him have been unsuccessful. Amash has also not ruled out a run for the presidency next year.

Read more:

Trump calls Justin Amash 'loser' after GOP congressman remarks of impeachable offenses

Justin Amash's rise as foil to Donald Trump is no surprise

Contact Todd Spangler:tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. Read more onMichigan politics and sign up for ourelections newsletter.