By Liz Nass
Gongwer News Service
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Jay DeBoyer spoke in support of a constitutional convention as a path to limit abortion access this weekend, priorities that are in direct opposition of Republican gubernatorial candidate John James.
DeBoyer told a group of voters in Battle Creek over the weekend, according to a recording obtained by The Detroit News, that the convention “could be the only way” to implement some guardrails around the state’s constitutional right to abortion that was passed in 2022.
The proposition of a constitutional convention will be on the November ballot this year, which is automatically placed in front of voters every 16 years. There has not been a convention since 1961-62.
While DeBoyer said he has not decided if he will vote for the convention proposal himself, it could be the only option to change policies that he calls “abortion on demand up until birth” and “virtually unregulated marijuana usage.”
Voters legalized medical marijuana in 2008 and recreational marijuana in 2018, but in both cases did so via voter-initiated acts, not constitutional amendments.
In the clip, he said he supports a 12-week abortion ban being put forward at a potential convention.
James opposes abortion and has said he would sign an abortion ban if it came to his desk as governor. But James has also indicated he would not seek to overturn the 2022 constitutional amendment, saying that voters have already decided on the issue. He has also opposed the idea of a constitutional convention overall.
James has also been a proponent of the marijuana industry, recently saying he would seek to repeal the 24% wholesale tax as part of the road funding package that the industry has been fighting since it was signed as part of budget negotiations last October.
DeBoyer took back some of his comments when asked by The Detroit News on Monday, saying the “abortion issue is settled in Michigan.”
James’ campaign did not respond to comment on the policies that are in opposition to his policy agenda.
Reproductive Freedom for All attacked DeBoyer on Monday for his comments, slamming both James and DeBoyer for their “lengthy anti-abortion records” and calling it “anti-abortion extremism.”
“We need to believe extremists when they say it: John James and Jay DeBoyer will use every lever at their disposal to pass an abortion ban and upend the will of Michiganders,” Reproductive Freedom for All Director of Michigan Campaigns Shanay Watson-Whittaker said in a statement. “With the election less than 50 days away, voters are watching and will hold them accountable at the polls.”
There has been opposition for the constitutional convention across the political spectrum including staunchly conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity and Citizens for Traditional Values. However, the ballot proposal is seeing a surge of public support in a recent poll, 47% of respondents saying they would vote yes this year, compared to 34.8% saying yes in 2010.
Gongwer News Service
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Jay DeBoyer spoke in support of a constitutional convention as a path to limit abortion access this weekend, priorities that are in direct opposition of Republican gubernatorial candidate John James.
DeBoyer told a group of voters in Battle Creek over the weekend, according to a recording obtained by The Detroit News, that the convention “could be the only way” to implement some guardrails around the state’s constitutional right to abortion that was passed in 2022.
The proposition of a constitutional convention will be on the November ballot this year, which is automatically placed in front of voters every 16 years. There has not been a convention since 1961-62.
While DeBoyer said he has not decided if he will vote for the convention proposal himself, it could be the only option to change policies that he calls “abortion on demand up until birth” and “virtually unregulated marijuana usage.”
Voters legalized medical marijuana in 2008 and recreational marijuana in 2018, but in both cases did so via voter-initiated acts, not constitutional amendments.
In the clip, he said he supports a 12-week abortion ban being put forward at a potential convention.
James opposes abortion and has said he would sign an abortion ban if it came to his desk as governor. But James has also indicated he would not seek to overturn the 2022 constitutional amendment, saying that voters have already decided on the issue. He has also opposed the idea of a constitutional convention overall.
James has also been a proponent of the marijuana industry, recently saying he would seek to repeal the 24% wholesale tax as part of the road funding package that the industry has been fighting since it was signed as part of budget negotiations last October.
DeBoyer took back some of his comments when asked by The Detroit News on Monday, saying the “abortion issue is settled in Michigan.”
James’ campaign did not respond to comment on the policies that are in opposition to his policy agenda.
Reproductive Freedom for All attacked DeBoyer on Monday for his comments, slamming both James and DeBoyer for their “lengthy anti-abortion records” and calling it “anti-abortion extremism.”
“We need to believe extremists when they say it: John James and Jay DeBoyer will use every lever at their disposal to pass an abortion ban and upend the will of Michiganders,” Reproductive Freedom for All Director of Michigan Campaigns Shanay Watson-Whittaker said in a statement. “With the election less than 50 days away, voters are watching and will hold them accountable at the polls.”
There has been opposition for the constitutional convention across the political spectrum including staunchly conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity and Citizens for Traditional Values. However, the ballot proposal is seeing a surge of public support in a recent poll, 47% of respondents saying they would vote yes this year, compared to 34.8% saying yes in 2010.
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