Last night during his campaign kickoff event in Lansing, off-kilter millionaire Perry Johnson “declined to rule out banning abortions for survivors of sexual assault” when asked where he stands on protecting reproductive rights in Michigan.
Johnson then doubled-down on his anti-choice extremism, even in cases of rape or incest, saying, “Two wrongs don’t make a right. I am pro-life.”
In a crowded field for governor, Johnson becomes the 13th Republican to join the gubernatorial primary and the latest to go out of his way to clearly state his draconian agenda against Michigan women and families seeking the privacy to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.
- Garrett Soldano stated that women who are raped should not be able to have abortions because “God put them in this moment” and it would make them “heroic.” He’s referred to himself as “unapologetically pro-life” and suggested that fake crisis pregnancy centers that use manipulative tactics to push an anti-choice agenda should receive taxpayer funding.
- James Craig – who backed up Soldano’s callous statement – has already said he would employ whatever means necessary to ensure Michigan immediately reverts to a severely restrictive, near-total abortion ban from 1931 that makes no exceptions for rape or incest, criminalizes abortion, and makes reproductive health care providers felons should Roe v. Wade get struck down.
- Also a staunch supporter of the 1931 ban that remains on the books in Michigan, Tudor Dixon has plainly stated that she would was against all exceptions to abortion, even when the health of the mother was at risk.
- Kevin Rinke also made a dangerous commitment to enforce Michigan’s extreme 1931 ban on abortion, saying that “as governor, I’m going to enforce that law of the land.”
Meanwhile, Governor Whitmer has been a champion for reproductive rights as governors are the last line of defense in the fight for reproductive rights for the first time since 1973. That’s why she called on Michigan’s legislature to repeal the 1931 law so that the right to abortion is maintained within the state regardless of what happens at the federal level.
MDP spokesperson Rodericka Appplewhaite issued the following statement:
“Off-kilter millionaire Perry Johnson is just the latest Republican to join this crowded gubernatorial primary and come out hard against Michigan women and families seeking the privacy and freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions. And like Garrett Soldano, James Craig, Tudor Dixon, and Kevin Rinke, Johnson has committed to forcing pregnancy on victims of sexual assault. In contrast, Governor Whitmer has fought to protect reproductive rights and called on the legislature to repeal this dangerous, arcane 1931 law that bans abortion in all cases and criminalizes doctors.”
