LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- Former state Representative Todd Courser is running again for the state House seat he resigned last week. Courser filed shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday to run in a special election for the seat.
Courser admitted to trying to cover up an affair with former state Representative Cindy Gamrat (R-Plainwell), who was expelled for her part in the scandal. Gamrat filed to run for her former seat on Thursday.
In an interview on Friday with CNN, Courser (R-Lapeer) said the decision came after discussions with his wife.
“She said, ‘Yes. Run,’” said Courser.
“She said, ‘The people haven’t had a chance to weigh in to hear about the good things that you’ve done for the district, and they need to hear that.’”
Courser says voters in his district should decide whether the scandal makes him unfit to represent them in Lansing.
“I think that the voters need to weigh in on whether or not that is something that’s egregious and they don’t want me to serve as their state representative,” he said. “But I’ve given them some very good representation in the state House in regards to the most conservative voting record, really probably one of the most conservative in a generation.”
Several people have already filed to run in the Republican primaries in both the 80th and 82nd districts.
Nothing in Michigan law prohibits lawmakers who resign their seat from running in special elections to fill those seats.
“The department is not aware of anything in state law that prevents Courser or Gamrat from running in the special election for the remainder of the term,” said Fred Woodhams with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office.
A lawmaker cannot be expelled twice for the same reason. But because Courser resigned his seat, the House could still take up the resolution to expel him if voters return him to Lansing.
