MICHIGAN—Michiganders already voted to settle abortion rights when they passed Proposal 3 in 2022, locking in a new constitutional right to reproductive freedom.
But new audio obtained by the Detroit News reveals that Republican gubernatorial candidate John James’ running mate, Jay DeBoyer, is still actively hunting for a way around those rights.
And state Sen. Winnie Brinks says Michigan voters should believe him.
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,” Brinks said at a press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 15. “The reproductive freedom issue is clearly not settled so long as James and DeBoyer have a shot at becoming governor and lieutenant governor.”
Brinks, the state Senate majority leader, is the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor and Jocelyn Benson’s running mate—which puts her opposite DeBoyer on the November ballot.
She joined Shanay Watson-Whittaker of Reproductive Freedom for All to respond to the recording, calling DeBoyer’s remarks “disturbing” and a “shocking revelation” about how far the Republican gubernatorial ticket is willing to go to rip away abortion rights from Michigan women.
Voters closed the abortion question in 2022. DeBoyer, it turns out, would like to reopen it.
What’s on the recording?
The audio comes from a Sept. 12 event in Battle Creek, where DeBoyer—a state representative from Clay Township—walked a room of supporters through his thinking on Proposal 1, this year’s constitutional convention question. Every 16 years, Michigan voters are automatically asked whether to convene delegates to rewrite the 1963 state constitution. Any rewrite would still have to go back to voters. The question has failed every time it has appeared on the ballot.
DeBoyer, who called himself a “staunch pro-life individual,” said the convention “may be our only option to get a correction,” and floated writing a 12-week abortion limit into the constitution.
“Sometimes you have to say to yourself, this might be our only way,” he said. “It might be.”
He added: “I can save some of those babies. I want to save some of those babies.”
DeBoyer said that he hadn’t decided how he’d vote on Proposal 1. But he also framed the strategy as a long game, telling supporters conservatives would “never take it back in one bite.”
Reporters at the Detroit News asked him about his remarks on Sept. 14.
His answer: “The abortion issue is settled in Michigan.”
James campaign spokespeople did not dispute the recording’s accuracy. And spokeswoman Alyvia Bailey pointed to James’ previous statements opposing a constitutional convention.
But Brinks says two days and a new statement don’t undo what’s on the tape.
“When asked about it, the James campaign didn’t even dispute that DeBoyer said it,” Brinks said on Tuesday. “Instead, they had DeBoyer sheepishly issue a contradictory statement.”
‘Out of sync with the electorate’
Brinks said DeBoyer’s remarks confirmed what she suspected was happening quietly.
“It’s been clear that they’ve been trying to avoid talking about this, because they’re very out of sync with the electorate,” she said. “There is still a clear agenda on the part of James and DeBoyer to take away these essential reproductive rights—things that save women’s lives.”
Watson-Whittaker argued the recording removes any ambiguity.
“James and DeBoyer will use every lever at their disposal to pass an abortion ban and upend the will of Michiganders,” she added. “DeBoyer is telling us exactly how he would implement a 12-week abortion ban through a constitutional convention proposal.”
The record behind the recording
James was also caught on tape this year saying he would sign anti-abortion legislation if it reached his desk. During his time in Congress, he backed the Life at Conception Act, which sought to ban abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother, and would’ve also threatened access to IVF and contraception. He has also compared abortion to “genocide.”
DeBoyer voted against repealing Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban, which carried no exceptions for rape or incest. He also voted against repealing a state law restricting contraception access, has said he disagreed with Proposal 3, and, like James, was endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan.
That organization only endorses candidates who support banning reproductive rights.
Right to Life issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was “opposed to opening the state Constitution to a convention at this time” and urging Michiganders to vote no on Proposal 1.
Proposal 3 passed with 57% of the vote in 2022. Polling from Progress Michigan shows more than 60% of Michiganders say protecting abortion rights matters to them in this year’s election.
On the recording, DeBoyer argued a 12-week limit would clear a statewide vote, telling the room polling on abortion limits is “astronomically high.” Brinks and Watson-Whittaker both said the way to fight back is in November—first on Proposal 1, and then in deciding the next governor.
Watson-Whittaker said her group’s 150,000 Michigan members will make calls and send texts against Proposal 1, as well as in support of the Benson-Brinks ticket through Election Day.
“Voters are watching,” she said. “They will hold DeBoyer and James accountable at the polls.”
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