Melissa Gilbert has dropped out of the race for a congressional seat in Michigan after injuries she sustained during a 2012 accident suddenly worsened.
“While I have received the best treatment and therapy I could have asked for, those injuries have only gotten worse,” Gilbert said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday. “As much as it breaks my heart to say this, my doctors have told me I am physically unable to continue my run for Congress.”
Gilbert cited injuries sustained to her head and neck during a 2012 accident. In April 2012, Gilbert was rushed to the hospital after hitting her head during a taping of “Dancing With the Stars.” She suffered a mild concussion and whiplash. It’s possible the injuries are related to that incident, though the paper does not make that clear. Reps for Gilbert’s campaign did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment.
Gilbert became a household name playing Laura Ingalls in NBC’s hit show “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 to 1984. She went on to become the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005. A few years ago, Gilbert and her husband, actor Timothy Busfield moved to Michigan.
Last August, the actress announced she was running for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District seat. But her campaign was mired with controversy. In June, the IRS accused Gilbert of failing to pay more than $360,000 in federal income taxes.
Earlier this month, Gilbert found herself on the defense after a 2009 statement she made on “The View” about Roman Polanski was posted on YouTube by Republican operatives. During her appearance on the ABC talk show, Gilbert said the effort to get Polanski extradited so he could be sentenced on charges involving sex with a 13-year-old in the 1970s was “excessive.”
Gilbert was able to use her entertainment connections to fundraise and finance her campaign. She received donations from friends like Alec Baldwin, George Clooney, and Jennifer Garner, among others.