MARYSVILLE, Mich. – When Marysville City Council candidate Jean Cramer flabbergasted a candidate forum last week with comments about wanting to keep the city as white as possible, and then doubled down on those comments a day later, her story went national.
On Monday, Cramer withdrew her candidacy amid a mounting number of people calling for her to resign. The City Council's regular meeting was packed Monday night with community members eager to have a thoughtful discussion about what happened.
"I hope Marysville and the rest of St. Clair County will use this moment as a teachable moment," Adriana LaCroix told the council.
"I think this is a dialogue that somehow or another we want to address," Judy Lindbergh said.
Congressman Paul Mitchell (R) Michigan, who represents the area, said her decision to withdraw couldn't come soon enough.
"This woman needs to crawl back in the cave she crawled out from and stay there," Mitchell said.
While Cramer was never perceived as a front runner, or likely winner, in the race, her comments floored the community, which in many ways has unified strangers.