Michigan gubernatorial hopeful says her miscarriage led her to focus on expanding access to reproductive healthcare

Ahead of her campaign for Michigan’s next governor, Democrat Jocelyn Benson is releasing a memoir this month, where she publicly shares her experience with a miscarriage that occurred about eight years ago. Benson says this experience will shape her focus on expanding access to reproductive healthcare in Michigan.

Benson, who is Michigan’s current secretary of state, is among a group of candidates vying to replace Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She is the only woman in the race so far.

In an interview with The Associated Press before the release of her political memoir, “The Purposeful Warrior,” Benson discussed how her miscarriage made her realize the importance of easy access to reproductive healthcare during emotional and difficult times. She wants to ensure that such access is available to women in Michigan if she is 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.

In a chapter titled “Grit and Grace,” Benson describes finding out she was pregnant right after her son’s first birthday and just before launching her campaign for secretary of state in 2017. She experienced a mix of excitement and concern about becoming a mother of two. However, a day later, she began to miscarry.

Benson recalls her doctor’s visit during her eighth week of pregnancy, where she was given options for managing her miscarriage, such as surgery, medication, or stillbirth. By the following morning, she had miscarried on her own.

“The emotional impact of that stays with you for your whole life,” she shared.

Benson said she dealt with shame and guilt, emotions she believes many women face during such experiences. She wants to share her story to encourage other women to feel comfortable sharing theirs.

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, many women seeking public office have been sharing personal stories of miscarriages and abortions, making reproductive and maternal healthcare an important issue for voters.

In Michigan, voters approved a measure in 2022 to protect abortion access. However, Benson argues that this protection is not enough. Her plan includes encouraging talented physicians to work in Michigan and improving reproductive healthcare in rural areas, possibly through mobile clinics that can reach remote locations.

She pointed out that three Planned Parenthood clinics in Michigan, including the only one in the Upper Peninsula, have recently closed. These clinics provided not only abortions but also birth control, disease screenings, and miscarriage management. The closures were largely due to financial challenges, worsened by a freeze on federal funding, although federal law already prohibited taxpayer funding for most abortions.

Benson’s focus on reproductive rights will be a key issue in Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial race. She will face Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary. Gov. Whitmer, who cannot run again due to term limits, has said she will not endorse anyone 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 competing for the nomination, with many hoping for the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a long-time Democrat, is running as an independent.

Benson’s memoir also includes anecdotes from her time as Michigan’s chief election official during the 2020 election and her legal career before. She criticizes Mayor Duggan for not supporting Whitmer early in the 2018 Democratic primary and for encouraging other male Democrats to run. Benson believes this sent a negative message to women in Michigan.

“I will never forget the message those efforts sent to women across our state,” Benson wrote, referencing her own campaign that was often reduced to gender in discussions. She recalls how some argued that having more than one woman on the ticket would be problematic.

Benson’s remarks about Duggan were first reported by the Detroit News. A spokesperson for Duggan’s campaign responded, saying the mayor endorsed Whitmer in the Democratic primary over the two men running.