Michigan candidate says miscarriage led her to prioritize reproductive health access

LANSING, Mich. -- 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.

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.

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.

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.

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