With just three weeks left until Michigan Republicans settle on a gubernatorial candidate to advance to the general election, voters are making it clear that the right to an abortion remains top of mind weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
According to new polling from Detroit News, nearly 60% of Michigan voters opposed the reversal of the landmark ruling which immediately triggered restrictive bans in several states. Michigan remains at risk of reverting back to a draconian and previously dormant law from 1931 that criminalizes abortion, makes felons out of reproductive health care providers, and provides no exceptions for rape or incest.
And right now, Republican-controlled state legislature is considering highly punitive legislation to make the 1931 abortion ban immediately enforceable post Roe v. Wade and imprison providers for up to 20 years.
For these reasons, 86% of Michigan voters said a candidate’s position on Roe would drive their decision to support them at the ballot box. Additionally, “more than 750,000 signatures” have been submitted for a petition initiative to codify a right to an abortion in Michigan’s constitution.
As “women who disagree with the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade …[march] to the polls en masse,” every Republican running for governor has enthusiastically anticipated the return of the 1931 near-total ban. They have staked their entire campaigns on this dangerous and desperate crusade against millions of Michigan women and families:
- A staunch supporter of the 1931 ban, calling it “a good law,” Tudor Dixon has plainly stated that she would be against all exceptions to abortion, including rape, incest, and when the health of the mother was at risk. Right to Life of Michigan rewarded her anti-choice extremism with an endorsement.
- Kevin Rinke, who has erroneously claimed that abortion was “being used as birth control,” also made a dangerous commitment to enforce what he described as the “appropriate” 1931 ban on abortion that makes no exceptions for rape or incest as governor. He said that the Supreme Court “acted appropriately” by overturning Roe v. Wade after calling the leaked opinion ‘proper.’ Asked about enforcing additional bans on abortion, Rinke said “people maybe need to consider” the “choices” that leave them with unwanted pregnancies, including sexual assault. He later referred to pro-choice protests after the ruling as “unhinged.”
- Ryan Kelley said the 1931 abortion ban was a “great law” and said he would “absolutely uphold” it. He has called for the total reversal of Roe v. Wade, declared that reproductive freedom is “absolutely not a right,” and pledged to sign new anti-choice legislation eliminating exceptions for rape and incest and bans abortion beginning at conception.
- Garrett Soldano said he supported the 1931 ban “100 percent” and wants to outlaw Plan B. He stated that survivors of sexual assault 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 and intentionally misleading tactics to push an anti-choice agenda should receive taxpayer funding.
