The 8th congressional district includes East Lansing and MSU.

After changing his residency back to Pennsylvania, Ngalamulume said he wanted to give someone else the opportunity to campaign against Rogers.

“It was only fair that I step aside and allow someone else to challenge Mike Rogers,” Ngalamulume said in an e-mail. “At the end of the day, this race was never about Kande, but rather about the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the people of the 8th District.”

Ngalamulume said he did not register to vote in Pennsylvania prior to the Aug. 3 primaries at the request of Michigan Democratic Party, or MDP, president Mark Brewer. MDP spokesman John Tramontana said he was not familiar with the request.

To nominate a new candidate, the MDP needs to receive documentation that Ngalamulume is registered elsewhere. Ngalamulume said he overnight mailed a letter Thursday afternoon to Brewer, allowing the process to move to a committee that will select a replacement candidate.

“(We are) waiting at this time for the Secretary of State to get all the information,” said Kathy Carney, the 8th district Democratic Party chairperson. “Once that happens, then everything will fall into line.”

One rumored replacement is Lance Enderle, an East Lansing resident and MSU graduate student who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign against Ngalamulume in the primary elections.

“Since Aug. 3, I’ve been told (by the MDP) to keep campaigning,” Enderle said.

Ngalamulume said he trusts the MDP will choose a qualified candidate as his replacement.

“I have great confidence that the party leaders will select someone who has an appreciation for the awesome challenges that not only the state faces, but the country as a whole, and is willing to work to advance the interests of the people,” Ngalamulume said.

The drama surrounding his Democratic challenger does not affect Rogers’ focus in Washington, said spokeswoman Sylvia Warner.

“He continues to focus on getting government out of the way so small businesses can create jobs and get Michigan families back to work,” Warner said in an e-mail.

Ngalamulume said he hopes to hold public office at some point, but he does not plan to return to Michigan.

“I have always believed in public service, and simply because this experience didn’t work out for me doesn’t mean I have abandoned my convictions,” Ngalamulume said. “I can tell you that I will not run again in Michigan.”