Each campaigner was asked whether she would respect the result of the referendum that volition look connected the November ballot successful Michigan, successful which voters volition determine whether to insert connection into the authorities constitution guaranteeing the close to abortion.
Both said they would grant the results of the ballot initiative, and some accused the different of lying astir that claim.
“She’s a small confused astir a law amendment, due to the fact that this is simply a politician who clip and clip again thought she was supra the constitution of Michigan,” Dixon said. “I judge successful the people’s close to decide.”
“It’s truly ironic erstwhile Mrs. Dixon stands present and says she volition judge the volition of the people,” Whitmer changeable back. “This is simply a campaigner who inactive denies the result of the 2020 election.”
Dixon has been endorsed by erstwhile President Donald Trump and Michigan’s almighty DeVos family, earning her party’s information aft a GOP superior mired successful chaos. After the debate, Dixon told reporters it was Americans’ “right” to question elections.
“It’s OK to question the results of the election. … It doesn’t mean that you’re not going to judge the volition of the people. That’s ridiculous,” Dixon said.
Asked by the debate’s moderator to specifically specify her presumption connected abortion, Dixon said she was “pro-life with exceptions for the beingness of the mother” and did not accidental whether she would let prosecutions successful cases of rape oregon incest. She past argued that she would not person overmuch powerfulness implicit the contented if elected.
“A justice has already ruled successful this case,” Dixon said. “The politician doesn’t person the prime to spell astir a justice oregon a law amendment.”
Whitmer sharply disagreed that a governor’s hands are tied connected the issue, noting that her suit against the 1931 prohibition was what brought astir the judge’s ruling.
“Mrs. Dixon is either woefully under-informed astir the bureau she’s moving for oregon she’s lying to you,” she said. “The politician volition perfectly interaction these rights.”
In an interrogation with POLITICO earlier successful the week, Whitmer added that the politician has galore different tools for shaping reproductive wellness attraction successful the state, touting her administration’s enactment this twelvemonth allowing pharmacists to prescribe commencement power — and, conscionable this week, applying for a national Medicaid waiver to grow sum of STD testing, contraception and different services to 25,000 low-income radical who don’t presently qualify.
Whitmer has led successful respective polls, though that pb has narrowed to the azygous digits successful caller weeks. She has besides benefited from having much robust run funds, according to The Associated Press.
Dixon, who acknowledged she mightiness person been speaking to immoderate voters for the archetypal time, introduced herself archetypal arsenic a parent — and arsenic a professional of Democratic policies successful acquisition and schools.
Echoing GOP rhetoric successful authorities races nationwide, Dixon claimed that children successful Michigan were being taught “sex and sex theory, and not … to read, constitute and bash math.” Asked astir schoolhouse safety, she advocated for “hardening” schools and putting much equipped constabulary connected campuses.
Whitmer described Dixon’s presumption connected guns arsenic “dangerous.”
“She’ll enactment the Second Amendment earlier 2nd graders each time,” the politician said.
Dixon and Whitmer are scheduled to statement again connected Oct. 25.
Alice Miranda Ollstein reported from Grand Rapids, and Olivia Olander from Chicago.
English (US)