GRAND RAPIDS, MI - U.S. Rep. Justin Amash appeared to be easily coasting to a fourth term in Congress as election results came in after the election on Tuesday.

Amash, R-Cascade Township, had captured 65 percent of the vote with 58 percent of the precincts reporting as of midnight, Wednesday, Nov. 9.

His Democratic opponent, Belmont resident Douglas Smith Jr., was trailing Amash with 32 percent of the vote while U.S. Taxpayer Party candidate, Ted Gerrard, had 2 percent of the vote.

Amash focused his re-election campaign on his record of independence against the power elite in Washington D.C..

He has become one of the most independent members of Congress who shunned its presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, and criticized House Speaker Paul Ryan.

In their only debate, Smith attacked Amash for being the only "no" vote on a bill that would have sent federal aid to the city of Flint, whose water system has blamed for a spike in childhood lead poisoning and an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease.

Smith also campaigned against the influence of big money in Congress. Accordingly, the sheetmetal worker did little fundraising and spent little money to get his message out in the Republican-leaning second district, which includes most of Kent, Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties.

According to campaign finance records, Smith raise about $20,000 for his campaign and spent about $16,000. Most of Smith's donations came from organized labor organizations.

Amash raised about $646,000 over the past two years and spent about $700,000, according to campaign finance reports. Two years ago, Amash raised $1.8 million and spent $1.5 million on his re-election campaign, which included a Republican primary challenge.