Reproductive Freedom Sweeps Michigan Elections

LANSING, MI — Abortion rights and access to all sexual and reproductive health care were back on the ballot this week in Michigan — and voters embraced candidates up and down the ticket who shared their values, electing leaders they can count on to defend reproductive freedom. From local races to ballot measures to the U.S. Senate race, Michiganders delivered decisive victories that reaffirmed that these freedoms are non-negotiable to voters.

These wins include:

• Voters elected federal Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsees who will champion reproductive rights and access to care in Washington D.C., including Dr. Abdul El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate and Sean McCann, Will Lawrence, Christina Hines, Hillary Scholten, Debbie Dingell, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Rashida Tlaib, Jeremy Moss, and Donavan McKinney to the U.S. House. 

• Prop 1 was defeated, eliminating a mechanism that could have been leveraged by abortion opponents to roll back Michiganders’ right to reproductive freedom.

• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan (PPAM) endorsees were elected to Michigan’s executive offices, including Jocelyn Benson as governor, Winnie Brinks as lieutenant governor, Eli Savit as attorney general, and Garlin Gilchrist as secretary of state.

• Democrats secured a state trifecta, paving the way to further protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. 

  • Democrats flipped the State House, winning 60 seats and unseating roughly half a dozen anti-abortion Republicans. Those flips included PPAM-endorsee Anna Aho Rink, a physician assistant who previously cared for patients at Planned Parenthood of Michigan's Marquette health center — ensuring that patients will have a provider who knows their care firsthand in Lansing.

  • Democrats grew their majority in the State Senate, securing 22 seats.

• Both Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh and Justice Noah Hood retained their seats on the Michigan Supreme Court, preserving its 6-1 majority.

• Reproductive health and rights champions secured seats in key municipal and county races across the state. 

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan President and CEO Paula Thornton Greear released the following statement in response:

“What Michigan voters accomplished is historic. They delivered wins essential to flipping Congress, and they didn’t stop there: They elected leaders at every level of our government who we can count on to defend reproductive freedom. The Trump administration and its allies have spent the last two years trying to end access to reproductive health care — from abortion to gender-affirming care — and voters made sure that agenda stops at the doors of Michigan. We congratulate our endorsees on their victories and look forward to working with them to deliver on Michiganders’ mandate to protect reproductive freedom and erase every barrier standing between people and their care.”

These wins come four years after Michiganders enshrined the right to reproductive freedom into the state constitution and as the Trump administration and its allies continue working to block access to abortion and funding for reproductive health care. As Trump’s attacks continue, having leaders in Congress and on the state level who will defend our fundamental freedoms and expand access is a crucial line of defense.

Recognizing the critical importance of electing leaders across the state who will fight for reproductive freedom, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan (PPAM) worked to turn out the vote through events, canvassing, phone calls, and digital outreach. In addition to endorsements in statewide races, PPAM endorsed 32 candidates for the Michigan State Senate, 75 candidates for the Michigan State House, 20 local candidates, and six candidates in nonpartisan judicial races. 

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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan (PPAM) is the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Michigan. PPAM works with Planned Parenthood Action Fund and supporters across the state to protect and expand reproductive freedom through public education, grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and electoral work.