GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A former teacher and small business owner is battling four-time incumbent Republican Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, for his 3rd Congressional District seat in the Nov. 6 general election.

With just a couple weeks remaining before ballots are cast, Democrat Cathy Albro, 65, of Middleville, and Amash, 38, both say they feel good about the race.

The district is comprised of Kent, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm and Calhoun counties.

"I have always been a very independent member of Congress and I think its worked to my benefit,'' said Amash, about being able to forge relationships and alliances on both sides of the aisle.

"I am still a constitutional conservative and a libertarian, but I am willing to work with Democrats and others on issues they care about too. I think this district likes having independent representation, likes the consistency, and the fact that I don't engage in the same partisan rhetoric other members are engaged in.''

Albro said she rarely talks about Amash on the campaign trail, rather her views on the issues, time as a teacher and experience running an Early Childhood Center and toy store for 15 and 30 years, respectively.

"I just believe my life experiences have prepared me to be a leader, to listen, and to use what I've heard to form my opinion and my policy decisions,'' said Albro, who won her primary decisively.

"My main goal is to help solve our problems in this country and the district. I care about the issues and believe that I can connect with people in this district and be accountable to them.''

The most recent campaign finance reports show Amash has significantly more cash with $586,829 in total receipts compared to Albro's $128,609. However, reports covering the last full quarter before the election show Albro collected $66,648 compared to Amash's $30,596.

This year, MLive Media Group partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide candidate information for readers. Albro and Amash were interviewed as well as completed questions on a voter guide about their stances on public policy issues, education and experience. Theodore Gerrard is also a candidate for the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

Information on all state and federal races and many of Michigan's county and local races will be available at Vote411.org, an online voter guide created by the League of Women Voters

Here's a look at how the candidates responded to various questions about their top legislative priorities, healthcare and immigration.

What are your concerns and plans regarding U.S. health care policies and programs?

Albro

"The debate should be over. Health care is a human right.

Most other developed countries have health care systems that are more efficient and much less costly than ours.

"We must study their best-practices and develop, with urgency, building on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicare model.''

"While we are figuring out the best solutions for health care, we need to restore a functional ACA right away,'' Albro told MLive, noting the Trump administration's steps to undermine the law, including repealing the individual mandate.

"The costs have gone us way to high I am for a single payer system, but I am open to other solutions including hybrid that would include single payer.''

In the voter guide, she also said that "New mothers and their babies are much more likely to die in the U.S. than most other wealthy nations and black mothers and children fare much worse.

"We must ensure researchers and providers address all the critical issues for healthy pregnancies and births, including family planning and comprehensive sex ed.''

Amash

"The current approach to health insurance causes higher premiums and fewer choices. We need reforms that will reduce the real costs of health care.''

Amash told MLive he thinks more of a hybrid system would work and be appealing to a broad set of the public.

"A hybrid system where you have mostly a free market system in health care where people can make choices and speak to their doctor and where there would be a lot of competition, and then you'd have backstop for people who are poor or low-income, have pre-exisiting conditions or disabilities,'' he said.

"The backstop could be provided by government preferably at the state level, and it would be provided as a benefit, rather than our current system under Obamacare (Affordable Care Act), where we have basically modified the entire insurance system to account for a subset of the population.''

Amash said we should allow the marketplace and insurance system to work properly and then account for that subset by providing benefits directly rather than changing the entire insurance system to assist those people.

In the voter guide, he also said that "sustainable health care system requires patients and doctors to consider the costs and benefits of each decision and work together to choose the right treatment.''

"It also must provide adequate care for those with low incomes or pre-existing conditions. I support permitting individuals to claim the same health care tax credit provided to employers, and innovative programs that improve care and reduce costs by aligning the incentives of patients, doctors, and hospitals,'' he said.

What are your concerns and plans regarding U.S. immigration?

Albro

"Except for the Indigenous People, we're all immigrants or descendants of immigrants. My immigration reform plans include:

Ending the inhumane ICE detention and deportation policies, legislating a fair policy to keep immigrant families together and children safe.

A quick path to citizenship for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) people.

Modernizing border security and ending militarization of our southern border.

Legislating new fair and humane immigration policies; addressing family-based worker visas, expanding legal rights of immigrant workers, strengthening support for refugees and asylum-seekers, and upholding the Diversity Visa program.''

Albro told MLive if there is no change in the current "dysfunctional Congress," there likely will be no comprehensive immigration form or resolution to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) issue.

"I do believe in a secure border, but we don't need a wall when we have technology,'' she said.

"We need a more humane perspective and approach.''

Amash

"Immigrants are an important part of our community and workforce, and they should not be discouraged from seeking a life and job here; however, it is important for them to do so legally.

"We need to secure the border, enforce visa overstays, and improve the legal immigration system.

"In enforcing our immigration laws, we must act consistent with our principles as Americans.

"That means not forcibly and unnecessarily separating children from their parents. It also means treating with compassion refugees and others seeking asylum in the United States.''

Prior to this Congress, Amash told MLive he was optimistic about being able to improve the legal immigration system but says he's been pessimistic this term because he sees more interest in reducing immigration overall.

"I am concerned about that,'' he said. "I am very supportive of immigration reform and doing something to address those who are part of DACA."

"The most important thing we can do is improve the legal immigration system, so it is not so complicated for someone to come here legally,'' he said.

"A lot of illegal immigration stems from the fact that people found that they couldn't get here legally.''

What are your top three national legislative priorities and how would you address them?

Albro

"The top three priorities on my agenda are: a public education system that prepares ALL children for success in life, health care for all, and an economy where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive.

As a teacher, I know that we could be doing so much more to invest in our children, and the Department of Education must hold states accountable to provide the highest quality free education from birth through career.

I will work for a single-payer health care system that focuses on wellness, costs less and is more efficient.

Everyone who works 40 hours per week must make a livable wage.''

"We have two economies - an investor class with enough to invest and are making money and an economy of people living pay check to pay check,'' Albro told MLive.

"We have to help those people become part of the economy that's succeeding.''

Amash

"Defending liberty and economic prosperity and eliminating corporate welfare.

I've been a leader in defense of our constitutionally secured rights to due process and against unreasonable searches and seizures. I oppose warrantless spying on Americans and unconstitutional civil asset forfeiture. I support criminal justice reform."

Working in a bipartisan fashion, Amash told Mlive he has been effective at bringing people together on issues regarding foreign policy, civil liberties, privacy, transparency and accountability.

"These are areas that haven't had a real voice in Congress for a long time and I've been able to fill that void,'' he said.

"I support reducing taxes and unnecessary regulations."

Amash told MLive that lawmakers missed the opportunity with the recent tax legislation to simplify the tax code.

"I think that there is lot of focus on tax cuts and increases but really what hurts a lot of people is that the tax code is too complicated, and it is actually structured in such a way that you need a lot of personal resources or wealth to figure it out,'' he said.

"The recent tax legislation did cut taxes for almost everyone, but it didn't do enough to reform the tax code to restructure it so that it is less complicated for people. We only did half the job.''

Amash said there are too many federal regulations. He said it is concerning that the federal government gets more and more involved in the day-to-day activities on the regulatory level, and he'd like to pull back from some of it.

In the voter guide, he said "We also must address the biggest debt drivers--mandatory spending programs and military spending.''

I'll continue fighting corporate welfare that confiscates resources from hardworking Americans to give favors to the politically connected."

What policies do you support to meet U.S. Energy needs while protecting our water, air and land for current and future generations? Explain how those actions or policies would affect the future of the Great Lakes. What are your thoughts on PFAS?

Albro

"I support funding for renewable energy research and development, not subsidizing fossil fuel companies. Our infrastructure investment must include an updated energy transmission grid and support for energy efficiency.

We must have stronger protections against pollution and hold polluters accountable for the full cost of toxin mitigation and require all states to be accountable for those high standards. Natural resources are shared between states, and must be federally protected.

Our Great Lakes and other Michigan watersheds must continue to be protected by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and other policies.''

On the PFAS contamination environmental issue, Albro told MLive that the federal government needs to make sure that scientists are part of the Environmental Protection Agency committees and that there is good research for making decisions.

"We need strong EPA protections,'' she said. "I really want to start looking at corporations who pollute and make sure that they are being held accountable to pay full price for the damage they create.''

Amash

"All forms of energy should be allowed; none should get special benefits. We should cut unnecessary or overly burdensome regulations and rein in overzealous regulatory agencies.

The best way to protect the environment is through strict enforcement of property rights, which encourages conservation and produces innovations to keep the world clean and safe.

Government should punish those who pollute others' land, water, or air, but it shouldn't micromanage environmental protection through economic incentives. Such efforts harm the economy in the long run and hamper development of environmentally friendly technologies.

Amash also told MLive that PFAS contamination is something the federal government really needs to focus on and work with the state governments. He said we need to have the best minds working on this issue to make sure peoples drinking water is safe.

"I think the federal government has to do a lot more,'' he said.

"This is an issue that is nationwide in scope. Unfortunately, we are still in the stage where we are learning more and more about it."

Amash said it is a problem that has existed for a long time but most people were unaware of it, including members of Congress.

In addition to residential communities, he said it affects a lot of federal properties, including military bases and airports where the federal government has jurisdiction.

"Hopefully, this will start to permeate the national discussion and we will have a better understanding of the dangers of it,'' he said.

If the dangers are found to be serious throughout the country, of course, it merits a federal response working with state governments.''

What federal policies do you support to help members of all strata of the American public improve their economic positions?

Albro

"Raise the minimum wage to a livable wage and add earned paid time off. Strengthen employee bargaining rights, including unions.

Invest in infrastructure that not only fixes our roads and bridges but provides efficient mass transit, affordable housing, and updated water and sewer systems. These moves reduce burdens on low-income families. A large investment in infrastructure will also add many good paying jobs to our economy.

An investment in healthy communities, including community-based decision-making.

Amash

"The federal government can best help the economy and reduce unemployment by making regulations predictable and uncomplicated, simplifying the tax code, and letting businesses stand or fail on their own merit. I will continue to oppose and vote against corporate welfare."

Amash told MLive that reforming health care and restructuring the tax code to simplify it would have a "big impact'' on the economy.

"We need to totally rethink the way our health care system works, or it is going to consume a huge amount of our income every year,'' he said, noting that health care is the most significant burden.

"Health care costs are going to keep going up whether you have the ACA (Affordable Care Act) or don't have the ACA.''

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.