GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ) – When Gov. Michigan Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon met Thursday night for their first gubernatorial debate, it was no surprise the first question of the night was about abortion, which one moderator Rick Albin called "sensitive, deeply personal and very topical."
Abortion is at the forefront of many voters' minds less than a month out from the election, as the issue will be decided with a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. During the debate at WOOD-TV in in Grand Rapids, it didn't take long for the candidates to make their opinions clear and begin trading barbs and accusing each other of lying.
With the fall of Roe v. Wade earlier this year, Whitmer said "our fundamental rights are very much at risk right now," and claimed Dixon's views include criminalizing abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. She said those views are "too extreme."
"I've never said that I wanted to criminalize people; I've never said I wanted this to be a felony. She just is completely making that up," Dixon said in response. "My position on abortion is clear: I am pro life with exceptions for 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 also accused Whitmer of supporting abortion through all nine months of a pregnancy, but Whitmer pushed back and said the only reason abortion is still currently accessible in Michigan is because of her action, referencing a lawsuit filed in April seeking to keep the 1931 law from taking effect.
Among the other hot-button exchanges between the candidates came on a question about how to keep Michigan students safe from gun violence, in a month that has already seen numerous schools placed on lockdown due to threats.
Whitmer painted her opponent as "too dangerous and too out of touch," citing a Dixon social media post in early November – the same month as the deadly Oxford school shooting – that said "gun control means using both hands." She said Dixon "will put the Second Amendment ahead of second graders every time."
Dixon, meanwhile, argued that Whitmer won't allow guns inside of schools to protect students.
"She doesn't want anything like that. She wants to make sure your kids are in a sitting duck zone, where there can be no guns and there's no protection against them," Dixon said. "The idea that she thinks having any type of weapon is too dangerous for the state of Michigan, she'll take all of your guns away."
The candidates sparred for an hour, including getting into Whitmer's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has impacted schools, businesses and families.
Thursday's tilt was the first of two scheduled debates ahead of the election, with the next scheduled for Oct. 25.
Listen to the entirety of the debate below:
Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for continuing coverage on the debate throughout the night.
