Melissa Gilbert Abruptly Drops Out of Michigan Congressional Race

“Little House on the Prairie” actress Melissa Gilbert said Tuesday she is dropping out of her congressional race, a move that makes first-term U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, a shoo-in for re-election.

In a statement, Gilbert cited health concerns:

“As many of you know, in 2012 I sustained head and neck injuries from two accidents. While I have received the best treatment and therapy I could have asked for, those injuries have only gotten worse. As much as it breaks my heart to say this, my doctors have told me I am physically unable to continue my run for Congress.”

Bishop issued his own statement:

“I wish her the best and hope her health improves. I plan on continuing my campaign and talking to voters about solutions to help this country move forward."

On Saturday, Gilbert Tweeted that she’d gotten treatment at a Brighton hospital for a four-day migraine headache.

Gilbert’s name is likely to remain on the ballot in Michigan’s 8th District. A Democratic challenger, Linda Keefe, is unlikely to overcome problems with having enough signatures on her nomination petition, WDIV said.

The state Board of Canvassers is expected to decide issues surrounding signatures on Keefe’s nomination petition at a meeting Thursday, the Detroit Free Press reports.

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Gilbert, who lives in Howell with her actor-husband Timothy Busfield, a Michigan native, announced in August that she would run for the 8th District seat, which encompasses parts of Oakland, Livingston and Ingham counties.

She has been called a Hollywood carpetbagger who tried to win the race with out-of-state campaign contributions from stars such as Alec Baldwin, George Clooney, Keifer Sutherland, Jennifer Garner and others.

When Gilbert said Bishop was “wasting … time and money investigating Planned Parenthood,” his campaign fired back:

“Hardworking women and families in the 8th District pay their taxes unlike Melissa Gilbert. This extremist group’s out-of-state support is an insult to those women and families that pay their taxes.”

She also recently recanted 2009 statements defending Hollywood director Roman Polanski made on “The View.” At the time, she suggested in was “excessive” for the United States to attempt to extradite Polanski to be sentenced on the charges of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old in the 1970s.

Also on Patch

• Actress Melissa Gilbert Announces Congressional Run
• Melissa Gilbert Opens Her Books: Earns at Least $100K Annually
• Campaign: Gilbert Will Pay Off Tax Liens by 2024
• Gilbert Tells Bishop to Stop Planned Parenthood Probe

Political consultant Joe Munem told WDIV winning the seat was a longshot for the Democrats.

“It's a seat that's been drawn for the Republicans,” he said. “So, the likelihood of her winning was ... it would have required a lot of work.”

The National Republican Campaign Committee called Gilbert’s withdrawal from the race “another high profile embarrassment” for the Democratic Party.

Earlier this month, the NRCC questioned whether Gilbert was moving on from her campaign said the actress was “spending more time promoting her films than she is talking about the issues important to Michigan voters.”

Image credit: Melissa Gilbert and U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop via campaign websites