The eight Republican Party ca
ndidates for the 80th District special election Nov. 3 are being invited to take part in a debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Fennville High School.
The debate is sponsored by the Allegan County Republican Party.
The eight GOP candidates for State Representative are Mary Whiteford, Eric De Witt, Bill Sage, James Siver, Jim Story, Shannon Szukala, Cindy Gamrat and Kevin Travis.
The election became necessary after Gamrat was expelled by a vote of 91-12 in the Michigan House of Representatives Friday morning, Sept. 11. The action was taken after an investigation into her role in covering up an extra-marital affair with fellow State Rep. Todd Courser, who resigned before a vote on his expulsion was taken.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office has agreed to permit Gamrat to run for her former seat again, which she decided to do last week by filing with the Allegan County Clerk.
Three of the eight candidates have been identified as members of the Allegan County Tea Party. Besides Gamrat, there is Sage and Szukala. The other five are regarded as mainstream Republicans.
The 80th District includes Hopkins, Martin and Watson townships. It covers all of Allegan County except the townships of Wayland, Dorr and Leighton and the City of Wayland, which is the 72nd State House District, represented by Kenneth Yonker.
The Allegan County GOP voted 14-4-2 to ask Gamrat to resign in the wake of revelations about the scandal. The Tea Party, however, decided to support her efforts to continue as a legislator.
The winner of the crowded Nov. 3 primary race will face Democrat David Gernant of Plainwell a former trial judge in Portland, Ore., now retired. The special general election will be held March 8, 2016.
