ROCKFORD, MI — U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, who recently left the Republican Party and is seeking reelection as an independent, was back in West Michigan Wednesday, telling constituents he wants them to be “upset” with Washington D.C.

Only when that happens will lawmakers attempt to fix the “broken” political system, the fifth-term congressman from Cascade Township told residents gathered at Arnie’s Bakery & Restaurant in Rockford.

“The only way things are going to change is if people at home are upset about it and go and speak out about it and make it a priority — not just the substantive things you care about, but the process,” Amash said. “The place is broken and needs to be fixed.”

The congressman, who represents Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District, which encompasses the city of Grand Rapids and a large portion of Kent County, was in West Michigan for his second round of constituent meetings since last week. During his talk, Amash hammered home his message that the two-party system, where party leadership in the House and Senate control the agenda in their respective chambers, has created a system that is no longer “open” and “deliberative.”

“People do not know how bad it is,” said Amash, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump who was elected in 2010 as a Republican but in July announced he was leaving the GOP to become an independent.

“All of the things that you see on TV. You think it’s bad? It’s much worse than that. We are literally unable to even proceed with legislation the way we should. It’s not just a matter of disagreeing on the issues. The entire system for debating these things is broken.”

Amash, 39, has been in the national spotlight since May when he became the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump following U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into 2016 election interference. He drew more attention on July 4, when he announced in an op-ed in The Washington Post that he was leaving the Republican Party because the two-party system “has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions.”

Amash’s decision to leave the GOP drew speculation that he was positioning himself for a potential third-party presidential run. When asked during recent appearances whether he’s considering such a run, the congressman has simply answered that, “I’m running for reelection in this district.”

He’s sure to face a challenge in the process. Five Republicans and four Democrats have announced they are seeking their party’s nomination, with the goal of unseating Amash in 2020.

The Republican candidates, in large part, have tied their candidacy to their support of Trump, while Democrats have highlighted issues such as healthcare and immigration reform. Amash on Wednesday said the need to fix the political process is more important than “substantive issues,” and that he’s confident his message will resonate with voters.

“It’s the most important thing not being discussed,” he told MLive following his appearance. “It’s more important than all of the substantive issues because the substantive issues can’t be addressed unless the process works.”

Attendees at Wednesday’s event were supportive of Amash. They applauded as he discussed his decision to leave the Republican Party and asked what steps could be taken to help loosen the two-party system’s control in Washington.

“He is the type of person that this country needs, who is following the constitution and voting according to that,” said Mark Baker, 57, a commercial realtor from Grand Rapids Township. “That’s the bottom line.”

Questions over gun control, which dominated one of Amash’s constituent meetings last week in Grand Rapids, were nowhere to be found Wednesday. Nor were there any questions about PFAS, a group of chemicals that have contaminated the drinking water in parts of northern Kent County, near Rockford.

When asked by MLive whether the federal government has a bigger role to play in tackling the PFAS problem, Amash said, “absolutely.” He said Congress has “tried to increase coordination between the federal government and the state government.”

“But it’s obviously a problem that’s around the country, not just here, and definitely implicates a lot of federal properties as well,” he said. “There’s definitely a larger role for the government to play.”

Amash also, when asked, said that “larger role” extends to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency setting a threshold for PFAS contamination. As of now, the EPA does not have enforceable standards for PFAS in public water supplies or at toxic cleanup sites. The agency has an unenforceable advisory level of 70-ppt for PFOS and PFOA that’s been criticized by some states and independent scientists as inadequate.

“We’re looking at that in Congress,” he said. “We’ve already tried to increase the federal government’s role with respect to setting standards.”

The 3rd Congressional District encompasses the city of Grand Rapids and a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties.