In one of the messiest races in recent Livingston County history, incumbent state Rep. Bob Bezotte, R-Marion Township, was defeated in the Republican primary for the 50th state House District by Jason Woolford, the man who called himself the “friend Bezotte threw under the bus.”
Woolford beat Bezotte by 4 points, grabbing 34% of the vote: in the wildly weird and acrimonious primary, Bezotte first announced he wasn’t running for re-election in January. He was embroiled in a messy divorce with his wife of 51 years, who alleged abuse — including physical — in divorce documents filed Nov. 30, 2023, allegations Bezotte has steadfastly denied.
Then, after announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election, Bezotte first endorsed Woolford; a month later, he also endorsed Lyke.
As if endorsing two candidates to replace him wasn’t politically strange enough, Bezotte got back into the race, filing his paperwork to run a day before the deadline, setting off a political firestorm, the likes of which Livingston County hasn’t seen in recent memory.
Brighton attorney Dan Wholihan, chair of the Michigan GOP’s 7th District and husband of Kristina Lyke, then used a signed affidavit from Bezotte’s estranged wife that alleged he falsified his residence on his affidavit of identity to ask Livingston County Clerk Elizabeth Hundley to disqualify him from the ballot, which she did in early May. (You can read all about that here and here.)
After Bezotte threatened legal action, Hundley reconsidered and put him back on the ballot.
Bezotte was outraised in the primary by both Woolford and political newcomer Dominic Restuccia, who came in third but led the fundraising by a huge margin.
In July, Bezotte made the No. 4 spot on the MIRS list of the Top 10 House incumbents in trouble.
Woolford won the Republican primary with 34% of the vote; Bezotte got 30%, followed by Restuccia with 22%, and Kristina Lyke with 14%.
Woolford will face Democrat Austin Breuer in November’s General Election.
Bezotte was first elected to the state House in 2020. Under new term limits approved by voters in 2022, legislators can serve a total of 12 combined years in the Michigan House and Senate, making Bezotte eligible to serve for eight more years.
Bezotte previously served on the Livingston County Board of Commissioners for four years, and as Livingston County’s sheriff for nearly 12 years.
The 50th House District includes the city of Howell and the village of Fowlerville, plus the townships of Cohoctah, Conway, Deerfield, Handy, Hartland, Howell, Iosco, Marion, Oceola, Unadilla, southern Tyrone Township, and the north and west parts of Putnam Township.
For the complete list of primary results, click here.
