The Michigan gubernatorial race is ramping up.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon went head to head on Thursday, October 13 in Grand Rapids during a debate in one of the last stretches before the general election on Tuesday, November 1.
From abortion rights to pandemic progress – nothing was left off the table during the debate where the two fiercely opposed women also talked on school funding and economic needs, CNN reported.
Dixon is backed by former education secretary Betsy DeVos’ family (and endorsed by former Pres. Donald Trump) is shown as a staunch right wing advocate against gay rights, which includes a policy proposal that would ban transgender girls from competitive sports based on the “gender they identify with,” according to the article.
Whitmer, who supports abortion rights, said during the debate that, “The only reason that law is not in effect right now is because of my lawsuit stopping it.”
Over the summer, the Oakland County Circuit Court granted the governor’s request for a temporary restraining order after a decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals cleared the path for county prosecutors to prosecute doctors and nurses for doing their jobs. The governor’s legal efforts continue to ensure women have control over their bodies and that doctors and nurses can do their jobs without fear of jail time.
“We are going to court today to defend legal abortion in Michigan,” said Whitmer previously. “The status of abortion in Michigan remains precarious, and we are fighting like hell to make sure medical decisions are left between a woman and her doctor.
Dixon, during the debate, accused Whitmer of “opposing any limits on abortion rights” and noted her own stance on the issue.
“I am pro-life with exceptions for the life of the mother. But I understand that this is going to be decided by the people of the state of Michigan or by a judge,” Dixon said in the article. “The governor doesn’t have the choice to go around a judge or a constitutional amendment.”
“To protect our rights, we cannot trust Ms. Dixon,” Whitmer said in the article.
While there will be hundreds of races across the state, the contest for governor will be one of the most watched. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II – both Democrats – are asking voters for a second term in Lansing. Hoping to prevent a Whitmer – Gilchrist re-election celebration is Tudor Dixon, the Republican candidate for governor and Shane Hernandez, her running mate for Lt. Governor. The race between Whitmer and Dixon marks the first time two women in Michigan have faced each other in a November gubernatorial election.
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