igan Governor Whitmer seeks second term against Dixon, GOP challenger //
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is hoping to win a second term in Michigan’s governor’s office and fend off a late push by Tudor Dixon, a Republican challenger. The two will be facing off in the Tuesday election in the battleground state.
Whitmer, once again leading a women-dominated statewide ticket, has made abortion rights a central part of her campaign. She told voters that women’s fundamental rights are at risk in the forthcoming election after the U.S. The Supreme Court invalidated the right to abortion and gave the issue to the states earlier in the year.
She spent millions on advertising attacking Dixon for being too “extreme” about abortion. These ads went unanswered for months while her Republican opponent struggled with fundraising. Dixon, who was endorsed in part by former President Donald Trump is opposed to the procedure in any case except to save the mother’s life.
The Democrat also supported a Michigan ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution. It would also overrule a 1931 law, which was triggered following the fall of Roe v. Wade and would criminalize abortion. Michigan Democrats hope that the proposal will result in high voter turnout and key victories for the party in U.S. House races and state legislative races.
Although it may seem one-sided for months but a surge of funding from national Republicans has helped increase Dixon’s recognition in a state that only four years ago had a GOP governor. Due to rising gas prices and high inflation, Republicans have an advantage in races across the country.
Dixon was a former commentator on a conservative online program that was backed by Betsy DeVos, former Secretary of Education, and her politically wealthy and powerful family. After Perry Johnson and James Craig, the predicted frontrunners, were eliminated in a fraud scandal, Dixon won a closely contested August primary.
In the beginning, Whitmer’s multimillion dollar campaign fund was too large for the Republican candidate. Whitmer had 30 times more cash at August’s end. During an Oct. 13 debate, she acknowledged that this was the first time that many voters had heard from her directly.
Dixon was influenced early by her pro-abortion stance and denial of 2020 election results. She has since attempted to pivot by focusing more on inflation and education. Dixon has advocated for banning “pornographic books” in schools and has presented an education agenda modeled on the Florida policy that critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
Pro Dixon groups started airing statewide television ads in October. They attacked Whitmer’s handling of the pandemic. Dixon claimed that Dixon was too heavy handed in issuing lockdowns that damaged small businesses and kept children out of school, while Whitmer claimed that Dixon would have killed thousands more people if he were governor.
The outcome of the November race will have a significant impact on Michigan, which is a battleground for the presidential election. The winner will be in power for the 2024 contest and could have an impact on voting laws and the way the election is conducted. Trump, Biden, and former President Barack Obama visited the state in recent week to rally support for their candidates.
Dixon, who stated during the Republican primary that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump’s, has been vague about her position on election security during general elections. Dixon was asked if Dixon would accept the results from the 2022 gubernatorial elections. She replied that she would “look at November and make sure the Secretary of State follows law.”
