Mary Whiteford elected to succeed Cindy Gamrat in 80th District

Indications are that Mary Whiteford of South Haven has won the special Republican Party primary election for the 80^th District legislative seat in Lansing.

Whiteford, who in the August 2014 GOP primary finished second to Gamrat, 41 percent to 29 percent, was polling more than 50% of the vote with about three-fourths of the precincts reporting. Several news outlets already were declaring her the winner.

Gamrat, who was expelled from the Michigan House of Representatives Sept. 11 for her alleged role in the coverup of an extra-marital affair, decided to let the voters decide her fate. A member of the Allegan County Tea Party, she was getting only 9.8% of the vote, trailing second place Jim Storey, who had about 24 percent.

Gamrat, who conceded at about 9:15 p.m., was accused of covering up an affair with fellow Rep. Todd Courser (R-82) of Lapeer, who resigned before his expulsion vote. Courser also decided to try to in back his legislative seat, but was defeated by Gary Howell in an 11-way race.

There were eight candidates for filed to run for the seat, but insides acknowledged Whiteford and Storey had the best chances of being elected. Whiteford was shown to be the front-runner in a pre-election poll released in October and she had picked up key endorsements from the House of DeVos Great Lakes Education Project and the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

Storey, a member of the Allegan County Board of Commissioners from Holland, had raised the most campaign cash.

Whiteford is a nurse and business owner. She will run on the GOP ticket against David Gernant of Plainwell, a retired Oregon judge, who is the Democrat in the March 8 special election. The Michigan Presidential Primary also will take place that day.

The winner of the general election in March will serve the remainder of the two-year term, which expires Dec. 31, 2016. However, both Gernant and Whiteford can file to run in the August 2016 primary as well.

The 80th District includes all of Allegan County except the City of Wayland and the Townships of Leighton, Wayland and Dorr, which are in the 72nd District.

PHOTOS: Mary Whiteford Cindy Gamrat