Michigan governor candidate says miscarriage prompted her to prioritize
reproductive health access
[May 06, 2025]
By ISABELLA VOLMERT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Ahead of a nationally watched bid to become
Michigan’s next governor, Democrat Jocelyn Benson is releasing a memoir
this month that includes her first public discussion of a miscarriage
she had about eight years ago — an experience she says will shape her
commitment to increasing access to reproductive healthcare in the swing
state.
Benson, Michigan’s secretary of state, is part of a crowded field
seeking to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and she’s the only woman in the
running so far.
In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of Tuesday's release of
her political memoir entitled, “The Purposeful Warrior,” Benson said
miscarrying made her value easy access to reproductive health care in an
emotional and difficult situation, something she wants to deliver for
the state if elected.
“It opened my eyes to the need to not just protect reproductive freedom
and rights, but actually make sure they’re real,” said Benson.
Personal stories shaping policy
In a chapter entitled “Grit and Grace,” Benson describes finding out she
was pregnant shortly after her son’s first birthday and shortly before
she launched her bid for secretary of state in 2017. Waves of worry over
the timing and elation over becoming a mother of two ensued. But just a
day later, she began to miscarry.
She writes about the doctor’s appointment during her eighth week of
pregnancy where she learned about her options: surgery, medication or
stillbirth and what to expect as her miscarriage continued. By the
following morning, she had miscarried on her own.
“The emotional impact of that stays with you for your whole life,” she
told AP.
Benson said she struggled with shame and guilt, emotions she has learned
many women experience.
“I want to tell my story to say it’s OK to tell yours as well,” she
said.
In the years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, women
seeking public office have shared personal stories of miscarriages and
abortions. Democrats and Republicans alike have spoken about their
pregnancies as reproductive and maternal health care became a central
concern for Americans.
In Michigan, voters approved a ballot measure in 2022 to protect
abortion access, in an election that also saw Democrats sweep statewide
and legislative elections. But Benson said that protection isn’t enough.
Step one is to incentivize talented physicians to work in Michigan, she
said. Step two is to bolster reproductive health care in rural Michigan,
she said, suggesting mobile clinics that can reach remote areas.
[to top of second column]
|
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson participates in an
election forum, in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sept. 19, 2024. (AP
Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
 She noted the recent closure of
three Planned Parenthood locations in Michigan, including its only
location in the Upper Peninsula. Some Planned Parenthood locations
provide abortions in addition to services such as birth control,
disease screenings and miscarriage management.
Planned Parenthood of Michigan leaders cited financial challenges
exacerbated by a freeze of federal dollars for the closures. Federal
law already prohibited taxpayer dollars from paying for most
abortions.
A governor's race watched nationally
Centering reproductive rights in the 2026 primary will be another
test of the issue’s importance to Democratic voters. Benson will
face Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Genesee County Sheriff Chris
Swanson in the gubernatorial primary. Whitmer, who is term limited,
has said she does not plan to endorse in the race.
On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. John James, state Senate Minority
Leader Aaric Nesbitt and former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox
are vying for the nomination and likely also the endorsement of
President Donald Trump.
And the twist — Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a longtime Democrat, is
pursuing the office as an independent. The move comes as Democrats
lost considerable ground in the 2024 election. The state swung back
to Trump in the 2024 election and Republicans gained a majority in
the state House of Representatives, splitting control of the
legislature.
Among anecdotes from her memoir that include her tenure as the
state's chief election official during the 2020 election and her law
career before, Benson took a swing at Duggan over his handling of
the 2018 primary election for governor. She criticized him for not
supporting Whitmer early in the race and encouraging other
Democrats, who are men, to pursue a run, citing reporting in the New
Yorker years later.
“I will never forget the message those efforts sent to women across
our state,” Benson wrote. She noted that her own primary campaign
became tied to Whitmer’s by gender.
“The argument went something like, surely we can’t have more than
one woman on the ticket at the same time,” Benson wrote.
Benson’s memoir comments on Duggan were first reported by the
Detroit News. A spokesperson for Duggan’s campaign told the
publication that the Detroit mayor endorsed Whitmer in the
Democratic primary over two men.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
