Voters: No 2nd chance for Courser, Gamrat

Voters made sure that former state reps Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat will not return to office.

They both lost their seats earlier this year after their affair and misconduct in office were exposed.

Courser, a conservative Tea Party member representing Lapeer, picked up only 4 percent of the vote.

"Part of me will be sad to see this chapter close," Courser said. "God is a God of redemption, restoration and forgiveness. I'm not perfect and I think people are aware of that."

He resigned earlier this year to avoid being forced out after having an affair with former Republican State Rep. Cindy Gamrat and concocting a bizarre story about having gay sex behind a night club to cover it up.

Voters like Amy Jo Farrington had their say Tuesday.

FOX 2: "Do you feel like you can trust him?"

"No, I don't think so," Farrington said.

Many voters leaving the polls said they would not vote for Courser even if he were the only one on the ballot.

"No way," said Bill Marquardt. "I think that's obvious. He's a liar, he's a cheat, I wouldn't trust him. He actually showed up here today.  He tried to shake my hand."

FOX 2: "Did you shake his hand?"

"Absolutely not," Marquardt said.

"I mean there's grace involved," said Stefan Brady. "We forgive him but we're not looking to give him another chance as an elected official."

Voters felt the same way about Gamrat, she ran for and lost a bid to head back to Lansing.

Courser says part of the reason he ran for his old seat was to give his district a chance to hear about his record and unveil what he calls the cronyism crippling the Capitol.

"Really the secret agreements reps are forced to sign to give their vote to the speaker of the House and not tell their district," Courser said. "I felt that stuff needed to really come out. Their representatives are down there it's really a theater of Democracy."

Ironic, because many would say Courser made theater of the office he held, he wanted voters to decide his fate and that they did.

"This district, they were put through hell in this whole thing," Courser said. "They didn't have all the information. I think they still don't have the information."

Courser says that the email about having sex with a male prostitute was not about covering up his affair but an attempt to unveil the person he says was extorting him.

State police investigated the claims and the information is with the Lapeer County Prosecutor's Office. Courser has not ruled out returning to politics.