Michigan Lawmaker Who Resigned After Fake and Real Sex Scandals Wants People to Vote for Him Again [Updated]

Photo: Michigan House Republicans

Former Michigan State representative Todd Courser, who resigned from his elected position last week after getting national attention for his involvement in a fake sex scandal orchestrated to hide a real sex scandal, announced on Friday that he plans to run for reelection. Former state representative Cindy Gamrat, the woman Courser had an affair with, is also planning on running for office again. She became the fourth lawmaker to get expelled from the state legislature in Michigan history last week. The special election for their seats will be held on November 3.

In other words, this strange story is never going to die.

Courser sent out a tweet this morning announcing his campaign plans; Gamrat’s decision to ask voters for redemption was reported on Thursday. According to the Detroit News, “she received an outpouring of support in the district — including a hug from a jogger recently — which influenced her decision to try to win back her House seat.” 

The two former tea-party lawmakers became somewhat infamous after a recently fired staffer accused Courser of sending out a chain email spreading rumors about himself. The email called Courser “a bi-sexual porn addicted sex deviant!” and said he paid for sex outside a Lansing bar. The sex-scandal email, according to the staffer, was supposed to cover up his actual sex scandal involving Gamrat, with whom he also shared a legislative office. 

My wife and I spent some time yesterday in North Branch Park discussing this,” Courser wrote in a Facebook post on Friday. “She said, ‘Yes, you absolutely should run. The voters didn’t have a chance to decide. The decision was taken from them. The people never had an opportunity to hear about all the good representation you have given them in both your Conservative voting record and your Conservative legislation. Put your name in, run, give the people a chance to consider your record and decide for themselves.’”

The pair are still being investigated, which potential voters will probably be well aware of once opponents start running attack ads in both races; the state is trying to determine if they committed any crimes — like misusing state funds — while hiding the affair.

The Grand Rapids Press and Kalamazoo Gazette released a joint editorial on Gamrat’s decision to run for her old seat. Here is the whole thing:

No.

This post has been updated throughout.

Michigan Sex-Scandal Story Will Live Forever