Posted on 08/10/2015 1:53:30 PM PDT by cripplecreek
LANSING, MI Actress Melissa Gilbert, best known for her childhood role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on "Little House in the Prairie," is running for the U.S. House out of Michigan.
Gilbert, a Democrat who has lived in Livingston County since 2013, announced Monday that she is running for the 8th Congressional District seat currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop of Rochester.
"Here in Michigan, I know people are doing their best to make a good life for themselves and their families. When it comes down to it, I think that's what we all really want," Gilbert said in a statement distributed to reporters and posted online.
"I'm running for Congress to make life a little easier for all the families who feel they have fallen through the cracks in today's economy. I believe building a new economy is a team effort, and we need to bring fresh voices to the table to get the job done."
Gilbert, 51, was born in Los Angeles and is married to fellow actor Timothy Busfield.
She served as president of the Screen Actors Guild -- a labor union representing film and television performers -- from 2001 to 2005 and hit the campaign trail in 2014 as a supporter of Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer.
Gilbert has had problems with the Internal Revenue Service, which filed a tax lien against her on February 3 claiming she failed to pay more than $360,000 in federal income taxes.
She attributed the unpaid taxes to a "perfect storm" involving the economic recession and a prior divorce, telling The Detroit News she had negotiated a repayment plan with the IRS.
The Michigan Republican Party, pointing to the tax dispute, questioned whether voters should trust Gilbert on the economy. Stu Sandler, a spokesman for the Bishop campaign, said Gilbert's values are "out of whack" with voters in the district.
"It's amazing that a woman who owes hundreds of thousands of dollars, who moved here from Hollywood and has a dog stylist but won't pay her taxes, is considering running for Congress to get a government pay check," Sandler said.
Bishop won the 8th District seat last year, defeating Democrat Eric Schertzing to replace outgoing Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who did not seek re-election.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Brandon Dillon last week noted that Bishop has been added to the National Republican Congressional Committee's "patriot program," which is designed to help protect vulnerable incumbents.
Bishop's "career of out of touch statements and votes to hurt his constituents are finally catching up to him," Dillon said Thursday.
I hope your right, because I don’t think my stomach is strong enough to deal with Senator Danny Bonaduce.
As someone else noted, Fred Gandy (Gopher) of "Love Boat" and George Murphy who was not only a friend of Reagan's but a Republican senator from CA in the 60s. He defeated Kennedy toady Pierre Salinger in that election. Those 2 come immediately to mind.
Jim Bunning
Jack Kemp
Sorry, Kristy McNichol would be more interested in Sara Gilbert than in you. She’s Out ‘n Proud.
Seems Half-Pint is a half-wit.
That will go well in Pinckney, Howell, or Brighton. LOL.
For some unfathomable reason I was thinking about her the other day, and I just knew she’d be a democrat if she ever made her political affiliation public. I like LHOTP, but it always had a politically correct vibe.
Great list.
Sony Bono
Clint Eastwood
Fred Thompson
—”It’s amazing that a woman who owes hundreds of thousands of dollars, who moved here from Hollywood and has a dog stylist but won’t pay her taxes, is considering running for Congress to get a government pay check,” Sandler said—
I see Mr. Sandler doesn’t understand the nature of a Democrat.
“”I’m running for Congress to make life a little easier for all the families who feel they have fallen through the cracks in today’s economy”
Aint no such thing as a Democrat making ANYTHING easier for families, whether or not they fell through the cracks in the economy. Safe to say that those cracks were created by democrat ideas in the first place.
As I understand it, Kulp’s campaign produced a radio commercial that made it sound as if the surviving fellow castmates of beverly hillbillies were in support of her candidacy when they did not. Ebsen, Max Baer, and Donna Douglas were all Republicans. It was that commercial that prompted Ebsen to openly support Kulp’s opponent.
I recall that election Buddy Epson campaigned against her
George Murphy, starred with John Wayne in quite a few westerns He was one of John Ford’s regulars.
D*mn.
She may be tough to beat.
Nellie was right all along!
Robert Kulp was a lesbian!?? ;-)
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