XENIA — Candidates for the United States House of Representatives 10th District in Ohio didn’t agree on everything during a candidates forum at the Xenia senior center April 25. But they all were in unison about needed to fix issues in Washington.

Four of the six candidates from both major parties spoke or had a representative at the Tea Party hosted event and stressed the need for change. The district encompasses all of Greene County along with Montgomery and Fayette counties.

Michael Milisits of Huber Heights, the lone Democrat in attendance, said voters “have made a lot of bad choices as Americans at the polls.”

“I’m tired of all the corruption,” he said. “The Democrats have failed me as much as the Republican Party has failed you.”

Milisits, who called himself a blue collar communications worker, said while the left and right sides are fighting, “the people at the top with all the money, they’re robbing you blind.”

“Nobody’s held any of these people accountable,” he said. “I see people struggling every day. I can’t take it anymore. This country is falling apart.”

He said he would be in favor of repealing the Federal Reserve and eliminating the interest payment on the national debt with one bill.

John Anderson, a Tea Party member, told the crowd “your vote needs to go for all outsiders across the board.”

He wants to get rid of the “establishment” in D.C. by voting out career politicians and draining the “swamp.”

“(Incumbent Mike) Turner has voted to raise the national debt at least six times,” Anderson said. “Six times. Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell need to go. I mean today.”

Anderson said he is for a balanced budget amendment, line item vetoes for the president and term limits.

“I’m the out-of-the-box thinker,” he said. “I’m the radical alternative.”

He said he has a 29-point contract on his website with his commitments to the voters of the district. They include supporting the Fair Tax Act H.R. 25, which would repeal the income tax amendment, eliminate all business, personal income, and capital gains taxes and replace them with a national sales/consumption tax; and supporting legislation to end all foreign aid.

John Mitchel, of Beavercreek, said he tried to raise his three kids with the “do the right thing, do the best you can, and treat others as you like to be treated” mentality. A member of the Republican Central Committee since 2004, he was about to leave politics until a book he released in 2006 matched up similarly with President Trump’s agenda.

He said he is the only non-incumbent endorsed by the We the People Convention. Mitchel wants to get rid of career politicians with term limits. He wants to reduce unnecessary spending, citing $4 million that was added to the budget to train Congressmen in how to be ethical. He also has indicated he won’t vote for a budget deficit unless it follows a declaration of war by Congress or another national emergency.

Mitchel said he has attended more than 40 events since entering the race but has not seen Turner or any of his reps.

Turner was represented by Deputy Campaign Manager Kevin Doering. Doering said Turner will continue to promote the growth of southwest Ohio, protecting the national security and fighting the opioid epidemic. Doering said Turner supported the tax cuts act, which doubled the standard deduction, and that his district has tangible results from his tenure as mayor of Dayton and as a U.S. Congressman.

The race for governor was also featured at the event. Greene County Prosecutor Stephen Haller represented Cedarville resident Mike DeWine, the current attorney general. Haller, who was hired by DeWine as an assistant prosecutor years ago, said Dewine “was uncompromising in his beliefs, but he was also very fair.”

Haller told of a story in which DeWine borrowed money against his own home to get enough cash for the sheriff to make a bust in a major drug bust case.

“Mike DeWine thinks outside the box,” Haller said, adding that DeWine never asked anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself.

Lieutenant governor candidate Nathan Estruth, a Sharonville resident, spoke on behalf of running mate Mary Taylor. He said Taylor is against against amnesty for illegals while DeWine voted three times in favor of amnesty while in the senate. Estruth said Taylor refused to vote for the Taft tax increase but Jon Husted, DeWine’s running mate voted for it.

“You have 60 years of career politicians,” Estruth said. “This race is a dead heat. We’ve closed 30 points in less than two months.”

Clerk of Courts incumbent A.J. Williams said he plans to continue to use his experience in the recorder’s office to help make the clerk’s office run efficiently and with transparency.