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Governor to call election to fill Conyers’ seat

Posted at 3:35 PM, Dec 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-05 15:35:44-05

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will call a special election to fill out John Conyers’ term in the U.S. House after the lawmaker retired amid sexual harassment allegations by former staff members.

Spokeswoman Anna Heaton says Snyder’s office will look at a timetable for that process once it receives a letter of resignation that officially creates the vacancy.

She says the Republican governor has wide discretion as to the timing of the special election.

The 88-year-old Conyers also submitted his decision to retire in a one-sentence letter Tuesday to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi and Ryan had called for Conyers to resign.

Conyers on Tuesday endorsed his son, John Conyers III, for the seat. Michigan state Sen. Ian Conyers, a grandson of John Conyers’ brother, also says he plans to run.