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Dick Yarwood/Newsday, file
Mark and Michelle Schimel at a polling place March 27, 2007, when she was running for the 16th district in the New York State Assembly.
Politics make strange bedfellows, especially in Long Island, N.Y., where an estranged husband and wife are running for the same seat.
Michelle Schimel, D-Great Neck, is serving her third term in the New York State Assembly. Her opponent is Mark Schimel, the man she separated from last year after 32 years of marriage, who is planning to run as a Republican.
"This is a very painful and personal family matter. The Republican Party is . . . using it as an opportunity to drag my personal life into the public," Michelle Schimel, 54, said in a statement, according to Newsday. "I will run this campaign as I have every campaign: on the issues, on my record, and on my values."
Mark Schimel, 57, was nominated last Thursday by Nassau County and still needs to file nominating petitions, according to Newsday. He is a vice president at Infosys International, an IT company.
His decision to run shocked his own mother.
“You’re joking,” Irma Schimel told The New York Daily News when she learned of his political aspirations. “This is a really startling thing. It’s a shock. Why would he do this?”
His estranged wife has been in office since 2007, according to her website. She served as town clerk in North Hempstead, N.Y., before being elected to the Assembly.
A local GOP leader told Newsday Mark Schimel is serious about running.
"We talked about it a couple of times, and he is serious. We've told him that we want a dignified and issue-oriented campaign," said Frank Moroney, North Hempstead Town GOP leader.
The couple has two kids and still hasn't legally divorced, reported The New York Daily News. Irma Schimel told the paper she still considers Michelle her daughter in-law, even receiving a Mother's Day card from her this year.
“I love her very much,” Irma Schimel said. “I can’t believe he’d do a thing like this. I’m going to talk to him.”
She predicted her son would lose against Michelle.
Scott Levenson, general consultant for Michelle Schimel, told Politico.com that Mark's bid was a political stunt, and vowed her campaign would be about "civility and decency," not candidates' personal lives.
“We’re going to keep the personal life of the assembly member private,” Levenson said. “The fact is the Republican party is clearly manipulating this situation, sadly, for their own political game. Assembly member Schimel is committed to keeping civility and decency in both the way she runs her government office and the way she runs her political campaign.”
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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Free country, the guy has a right to run no matter who his opponent is. What is she so afraid of anyway? Is she hiding something?
I have a bridge for sale. You seem to want to make another purchase.
yeah, that makes a great deal of sense @adam-2011718. You feel he shouldn't be able to run for this political office?
Yes, it's a free country. He's free to be an ass. I feel bad for their children.
May the best __— win.
His mother says He'll lose? He'll lose.
Pass the pop corn please , and get me another beer at the same time .
This show should be worth watching, as all the dirty laundry comes out. Much better show than all those mind numbing reality shows.
PocketClam, he's free to run, but read the article again. He obviously isn't running because he thinks he would be good for his potential constituents. Mac Forrester said "His mother says He'll lose?" It's worse than that, his mother tactfully implies that he is being an dbag. When your own mother (not mother-in-law, but your OWN mother) is saying that about your candidacy, why exactly are you running?
The Grand ol' Party isn't so grand anymore. Things like this are making me reconsider my affiliation.
That's it - classy as ever, right wingers :D
To use your own directive, read the article again...This forum and MSNBC is repleat with democrat modis operande...The article presents a very biased view which bashes the husband-who just happens to be a republican...Do you really think his mother was quoted properly???...Was ANY of this s#$% vetted???...It's intellectually dishonest for you to opine that the article to fair and to draw the conclusion you did...Why don't you wait for his side of the story???...
Anyone else find it ironic that they have no instances where he "drug their personal life" into this, yet a left leaning media source is the only one reporting this and, essentially, dragging their personal life into this?
you are an @!$%#
Life imitating art - didn't this already happend in Family Guy ????
Griffin vs. Griffin for Mayor of Quahog.
"Don't vote for my wife... she's a b!tch"
They should have an no holds barred debate. All the dirty laundry each one knows about each other should be allowed and brought up. She could call him a bastard, and he is allowed to call her a bitch. Their sex life should also be allowed in the debate telling the world what each one likes and what each one wanted the other to do. If he is a two pump chump people should know if his thing is small and could not satisfy her. If she does not like oral sex that is something the world should know or could not have an organism. .
This way the people would know the real person.
I guess the "old adage" of 'all is fair in love, war, and politics' applies here.
What a Dbag, he is going to wind up looking like an idiot but that's his choice...
??? Nothing about "going to" more like is.
I'm guessing, 32 years of marriage and he's still acting like child.
32 years of marriage and she's the one interviewing with news channels that will quote everyone but him to make sure only the (D) candidate gets their story out. Childish political stunt on her part. I'd vote for him and I'm not even registered (R). (I) is the only way to go with what we have in Washington. Vote for the lesser of 2 weavels for each ticket.
And it's her that is worried about what might be brought out in the campaign. I think there might be a staffer or two in her background.
A threesome! No wonder she is so concerned, its hard to keep your back covered.
Typical dirty teabagger politics.
Typical liberal response. Where did you hear he was backed by the Tea Party? Hmm? Just making stuff up to promote your side? How....typical.
You're right Allen. Don't let facts stand in their way. Just shout out the latest.
@Don in MO .... kettle meet pot
Most repubs today are backed by the tea party, because the repubs are afraid of the tea party The now do the bidding of the tea party. I love being an independent, I get to beat up on both parties
Well....if your own MOTHER predicts you'll lose.....
It's personal.
Typical of the R Party. A mean-spirited circus, rather than a constructive debate.
Dude, the saying is "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
Not saying it is right but women have been screwing men when they separate or divorce so long there is a term for it; scorned woman...paybacks are a bitch.
Interesting ...
Sounds like a reality tv show....uh - organism?
Yeah this is pretty tawdry. Perhaps Irma should run as an independent!
hahha Julia, Yeah I laughed at that one too.
It does look like one of those stupid reality shows. This is more personal than political.
And Ron, as woman I'd say that if a woman can't have an Orgasm it says more about the man she's with than anything else. It's not rocket science.
Janie Baby
maybe she could have one with another women or a large dildo
Why can't presidential elections be this interesting lol.
What a jerk, if your own mother thinks you are wrong believe me you are wrong. Women unite and beat this creep.
Man, that is one cold hearted SOB! Split up with the wife & then try to take her job. I wish him luck!
Hey KJM - go back and read the article - she separated from him not the other way around!
@Don
Actually it doesn't. Unless you're reading a different article than me. It just says they're estranged. Which means separated. It doesn't reference who separated from who.
So really either one of you could be right. Guess we'll just have to wait for the $#17-storm... err election, to find out lol.
Perfect!!!! What a way to tell the world about your ex wife and not be thrown in jail or sued! hahahaha , and why isnt the woman ever "estranged", oh wait, that's because they reserve the term deranged.
Can you imagine what life is like for their kids? If their parents are willing to take their private fight out into the public arena like this, can't you just imagine what their private fights are like?
Thanks Betty - your comment made me go look to see about their 2 kids. Alex & Spencer are both near 30 years old and living on their own. So they've likely heard it all before and lived with it for many years leading up to the separation. Now what we need is for 1 of them to join the race as an independent and provide the balanced story.
Ever since they let woman vote the whole world has gone to crap.
My opponent likes to be spanked, drinks too much, has sex with the pool boy and she snores. Don't vote for her, she will ruin your life.
He's already withdrawn his name from consideration.
Something must have snapped after 32 years of marriage. Maybe they will run really dirt campaigns, decide to get back together, and then have really great makeup sex.
Most repubs today are backed by the tea party, because the repubs are afraid of the tea party The now do the bidding of the tea party, I love being an independent, I get to beat up on both parties
Shows just how much of a scumbag operation the RNC has become.