With less than three weeks to go until the Nov. 3 special election, a poll has Mary Whiteford at the head of the pack of eight candidates for 80^th District Representative.

Whiteford, who was runner-up in the August 2014 primary to former State Rep. Cindy Gamrat, is being chased by Gamrat and James Storey, who are in a statistical dead heat for second in the polling.

The special election is being held to replace Gamrat (R-Plainwell), who was expelled by the State Legislature Sept. 11 for her role in covering up her extra-marital affair with former State Rep. Todd Courser, who resigned before being booted out of Lansing.

The survey of 300 likely GOP primary voters was conducted Oct. 6-8 by Susan J. Demas, Inside Michigan Politics Publisher; Ed Sarpolus, Target Insyght Executive Director, and Joshua Pugh, Grassroots Midwest Director of Communications Strategy.
The poll indicated Whiteford has “a commanding early lead” with 31 percent of likely Republican primary voters. Gamrat is in second with 14 percent and Storey 13%.

Whiteford, of South Haven, is a nurse and co-founder of a financial business. Storey is an Allegan County Commissioner and GOP operative.

The poll also found that 18 percent of Republican primary voters would support the eventual Democratic nominee, David Gernant, over Gamrat if she wins the special primary, and 61% would back another candidate or simply stay home March 8 in the special general election.
The poll also indicated that Gamrat has a 19% favorability rating and 49 percent of poll respondents said she should have resigned her position before she was expelled.
Demas reported, “The endorsements of the Great Lakes Education Project and the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce have put Mary Whiteford in the catbird’s seat headed into the final weeks of the election. For all the talk of a split in the Republican establishment, Jim Storey is still polling slightly below Cindy Gamrat.”
The 80th District takes in all of Allegan County, except Wayland, Leighton and Dorr townships and the city of Wayland. The Republican base in the district is 62%, according to Target Insyght data.
Brian Began, Elections & Research Director of Grassroots Midwest, said,”…Whiteford and Storey have all the momentum rolling into the special election. It doesn’t appear anyone is buying Gamrat’s victim act, and the force that was the Tea Party is no longer strong with her. Despite early fears that a comeback was possible, it appears those fears will not be realized, as Gamrat quickly fades into obscurity.”
Ed Sarpolus, Executive Director of Target Insyght, said “There is a complete lack of sympathy among Republican primary voters for the alleged persecution Gamrat has been through.”

PHOTOS: Mary Whiteford  Cindy Gamrat  James Storey