Antigay Mailer Lands in Mich. Senate Race

An antigay mailing by a Republican state senate candidate in Michigan has resulted in a defamation lawsuit by her opponent, the target of the attack in advance of the Tuesday primary.

According to a report from WDIV-TV in Detroit, the mailing by Kim Meltzer, candidate for the Republican nomination in District 11, depicts Leon Drolet's face superimposed over a rainbow flag and includes two male figures holding hands.

"The accusations are designed to make Drolet, the chairman of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, out to be the ultimate liberal in a conservative primary in Macomb's Northern District," reports WDIV-TV.

As a state representative in 2003, Drolet voted for a bill to repeal laws against gay sex, which appears to have fueled the smear tactic from Meltzer. He called the claims, which charge that he wants to legalize public sex in restrooms, "completely unsupportable and disgusting," but Meltzer did not comment to WDIV-TV.

Drolet filed a defamation lawsuit Friday in Macomb County Circuit Court against Meltzer and her campaign consultant, Glen Clark.