18th District Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs of Lakeville talked about many of the negative aspects in America but gave an optimistic outlook in his talk Wednesday at the Mansfield Noon Optimists Club.

Gibbs, who is running for the newly-drawn 7th District seat, laid out the reality of what has happened over the past four years in Washington with millions of people unemployed or underemployed and a middle class whose income has dropped $5,000 a year.

But he's optimistic it's not too late to turn things around.

Gibbs, who has served six years on the Ohio House, two years in the Ohio Senate and two years in the U.S. House of Representatives, faces Democratic Canton businesswoman Joyce Healy-Abrams in the Nov. 6 General Election.