DETROIT – Actress Melissa Gilbert announced Monday her intent to run for U.S. Congress in Michigan's 8th congressional district.
This would put Gilbert, famous for her childhood role of Laura Ingalls Wilder on "Little House on the Prairie," up against Republican Mike Bishop.
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Gilbert first tweeted the news Monday afternoon.
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Gilbert and her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, have resided in Howell, Mich. Busfield is a Michigan native.
Gilbert has never held public office.
"Here in Michigan, I know people are doing their best to make a good life for themselves and their families. When it comes down to it, I think that's what we all really want," she said in a news release. "I'm running for Congress to make life a little easier for all the families who feel they have fallen through the cracks in today's economy. I believe building a new economy is a team effort, and we need to bring fresh voices to the table to get the job done."
In the previous election, Bishop defeated his Democratic challenger, Eric Schertzing, by a 54%-42% margin. He replaced retiring Rep. Mike Rogers.
Bishop, 48, previously served as Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate. He also ran for Oakland County Prosecutor in 2012 but lost to Democratic incumbent Jessica Cooper.