Former Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert is looking to move to the big House on Capitol Hill.

Gilbert announced a run for Congress as a Democrat in Michigan's 8th congressional district. Republican Rep. Mike Bishop currently holds the seat.

"I’m running for Congress to make life a little easier for all the families who feel they have fallen through the cracks in today’s economy," Gilbert said. "I believe building a new economy is a team effort, and we need to bring fresh voices to the table to get the job done."

The actress already has experience in high office. She is the former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

Gilbert lives in the district with her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, who has experience in the faux Washington world from his time playing a White House reporter on "West Wing."

Gilbert was elected to the SAG board in November 2000 and to the presidency the following November, the third woman to hold the post. In December 2001 she was elected VP of the AFL-CIO.