'Little House On The Prairie' Actress Melissa Gilbert Running For Congress In Michigan

HOWELL (WWJ) - Actress Melissa Gilbert has announced that she's running for Congress in Michigan's 8th District. The former "Little House on the Prairie" star made the announcement on Twitter.

"Mother, grandmother, wife and advocate. Running to be a voice for working families in Michigan's 8th congressional district," the Twitter profile reads.

Gilbert, a Democrat, released a statement saying she wants to make life easier for all families who feel like they've "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," she said.

The Republican Party also released a statement, pointing out that Gilbert has had trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS, which filed a tax lien against her in February, claimed she failed to pay more than $360,000 in federal income taxes.

Gilbert, 51, was born in Los Angeles and is married to fellow actor Timothy Busfield. The couple currently lives in Howell.