Gretchen Whitmer in CampusElect.org 2018 Gubernatorial coverage


On Abortion: End 24-hour waiting period; fund Planned Parenthood

Q: Abortion: Ban or legal? Support Michigan's 1931 pre-Roe law that criminalizes abortion?

Bill Schuette (R): Ban, except for incest, rape, & life of the mother. Enforce state prohibitions.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Legal. End 24-hour waiting period & pre-Roe ban, protect in state law.

Q: Contraception: Allow employers to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if disagree with it morally? Stance on related family planning funding?

Schuette: Yes. Views as attack on religious liberty.

Whitmer: No. "We've seen attack after attack" on reproductive healthcare. Require insurance companies to cover contraceptives. Restore low-income family planning funds.

Q: Allow Planned Parenthood public funds for non-abortion health care?

Schuette: No. Joined lawsuit to prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving funding.

Whitmer): Yes. Restore funding so can provide screenings and checkups, contraception, and maternity care.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Civil Rights: 2013: repeal Michigan's same-sex marriage ban

Q: Support gay marriage?

Bill Schuette (R): No. Defended voter-enacted marriage ban as "a simple recognition that biology matters." But will respect Supreme Court decision allowing it.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Introduced 2013 bill to repeal Michigan's same-sex marriage ban, two years before Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Crime: Prioritize rehabilitation efforts for first-time offenders

Q: Prosecute all 17-year-olds as adults & house with adult criminals?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Unknown. Prioritize rehabilitation efforts for first-time offenders.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Drugs: Supports marijuana legalization for adult recreational use

Q: Marijuana: Support or oppose MI legalization initiative, Proposal 1?

Bill Schuette (R): Concerned legalization will increase youth access, but will respect voters' will. Led campaign against medical marijuana in 2008 but now supports with proper controls.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Supports legalization for adult recreational use & expungement & exoneration of cannabis-related criminal histories. Endorsed 2008 marijuana initiative.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Education: Opposes vouchers: Stop the dismantling of public education

Q: Increase funding for K-12 education?

Bill Schuette (R): No statements found on overall funding. Focus on literacy. "Grade schools on an A-F scale, giving schools performance-based grants as incentives."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Expand full-day universal pre-K. More resources for hard-to-educate children. Ensure School Aid Fund money goes to K-12 education, close tax loopholes that erode funding.

Q: Support vouchers to send children to private schools with public money. Expand charter schools?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. Use vouchers to send children to any participating school (public, private, religious). Expand charters.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Opposes vouchers. Stronger oversight of charters. "Stop the dismantling of public education."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Education: 2 years of debt-free post-secondary education

Q: Increase state funding for higher education?

Bill Schuette (R): Unclear. Support more trade & vocational offerings. The proposed tax cut would likely reduce general fund, so may risk higher education funding.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Apportion $100 million to give qualifying students 2 years of debt-free post-secondary education, whether in vocational schools or colleges.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Energy & Oil: Oppose withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

Q: Consider climate change a critical threat? Limit creation of greenhouse gases? Participate in U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of states committed to climate change action?

Bill Schuette (R): No. Joined letter arguing that science wasn't settled, so Exxon wasn't lying about climate change. Opposed "burdensome" EPA regulations and Obama Clean Power Plan.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Opposed Trump withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord. Called on Gov Snyder to join U.S. Climate Alliance. Create state Office of Climate Change.

Q: Government support for renewable energy?

Bill Schuette (R): No. Opposed 2012 initiative to require 25% of electricity production from renewables by 2025.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Strong support for renewables.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Free Trade: Renegotiate trade deals, but no tariffs on China

Q: Support Trump's imposition of tariffs on Chinese steel and other products?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. Believes Trump has his own "aggressive style" as he works to rebalance trade relationships. "In the end, I think it will be a good deal."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Renegotiate trade deals but fears longlasting negative consequences from new tariffs & chaos caused by Trump's "disorderly rollout."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Government Reform: Opposes gerrymandering; opposes voter ID

Q: Support Michigan's redistricting ballot initiative 2 to address charges of partisan gerrymandering?

Bill Schuette (R): Opposes initiative. Asked MI Supreme Court to reject for creating "a fourth branch of government."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. "Gerrymandering continues to disenfranchise voters in Michigan." Don't let partisan legislators draw political boundaries.

Q: Voting Rights: Support stricter or broader voting and registration rules?

Bill Schuette (R): Stricter. Supported end to straight-ticket voting.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Opposes strict voter ID laws, supports straight-ticket, automatic registration, letting anyone vote absentee.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Government Reform: Disclose political donors; reverse Citizens United

Q: Require political ads to disclose largest funders? Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?

Bill Schuette (R): Supports candidates releasing tax returns. Backed Americans for Prosperity not disclosing donors for their political ads.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): As of 2004 supported disclosure of ad sponsors. Reverse "Citizens United on steroids legislation" that lets Super PACS raise and spend unlimited amounts of money in Michigan."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Gun Control: Universal background checks; ban assault-style weapons

Q: Support more restrictive gun control legislation? Restrict semi-automatic weapons?

Bill Schuette (R): No. Repeal existing state restrictions. Challenged restrictions on semi-automatic weapons. NRA 100% rating.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Universal background checks on gun purchases and ban assault-style weapons. NRA 7% rating.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Health Care: No work requirements for Medicaid; expand it instead

Q: Support or Repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Accept Medicaid expansion to subsidize low-income participants? Require people to work to receive Medicaid?

Bill Schuette (R): Repeal ACA. Replace with private insurance. Calls work requirements "the welfare reform of the 21st century."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Supports ACA. Held "Save Healthcare" rallies and led state Senate negotiations for Medicaid expansion. Opposes work requirements, which remove coverage "when we should be expanding."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Immigration: Protect DREAMers from deportation; offer path to citizenship

Q: Support DREAM Act (DACA) recipients who arrived illegally as children, to achieve legal status under certain conditions?

Bill Schuette (R): Declined to comment during campaign, but joined 2016 lawsuit to block DACA expansion.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Supports clean DREAM Act that protects Dreamers from deportation & offers a path to citizenship.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Jobs: Repeal "right-ro-work" law (support union organizing)

Q: Do you support the right-to-work law, preventing unions mandating dues for workers they represent?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. A "great victory." "I was the right-to-work Attorney General."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Repeal right-to-work law.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Jobs: Increase minimum wage to $15/hour over three years

Q: Raise the minimum wage from the current $7.25/hr?

Bill Schuette (R): Unknown. Would exclude workers on small farms. Opposes prevailing wage law & expanded overtime protection.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Increase to $15/hour over three years.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Tax Reform: Trump tax cuts help only millionaires & billionaires

Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts? Cut Michigan taxes?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. "I will cut taxes like @POTUS did nationally and make Michigan a growth state." Reduce MI taxes from 4.25% to 3.9%.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Trump cuts help millionaires & billionaires, not families just trying to get by." Repeal retirement tax. Increase state user fees to pay for infrastructure.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Technology: Expand broadband with net neutrality

Q: Net Neutrality: Require internet providers to provide all users equal access?

Bill Schuette (R): Unknown.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Expand broadband. Implement net neutrality through Executive Order.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race Oct 9, 2018

The above quotations are from CampusElect.org 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project.
Click here for other excerpts from CampusElect.org 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project.
Click here for other excerpts by Gretchen Whitmer.
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Page last updated: Jun 21, 2020