Why is Michigan’s Democratic governor writing a op-ed in Fox News? Well, I want to share with you some personal things about me that you may not know that we can have in common. As American women, we have the power to change the outcome of future elections for our daughters.

I was raised in a bipartisan household. My father served in the cabinet of Republican Governor George Romney (yes, Mitt’s father) and my mother worked for the Democratic attorney general. At the table, they encouraged my siblings and I to share our opinions and disagree without being unpleasant. This skill has come in handy Michigan Legislaturewhere I was in the minority all along.

You may not know that I was sexually assaulted in college. We didn’t talk about it much for a long time. Years later, someone told me, “We are all like a lump of clay. When it is hollowed out, it becomes a cup.” When something is taken from you, what is left behind can have a purpose.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on stage during a campaign rally at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan, August 7, 2024. (Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

After I was assaulted, something was taken from me. But that moment cemented my lifelong goal: to the fight for women and families. After I left the legislature, I became a county attorney and fought for gymnasts who were sexually abused by their doctor.

HARRIS REFUSES TO MAKE CONCESSIONS TO REPUBLICANS ON ANY ABORTION LEGISLATION, INCLUDING RELIGIOUS SHORTAGES

Like many of you, I am a mother. My two daughters are intelligent and driven young women. The relationship between mother and daughter is special and as mothers we want to protect our children. That’s why I was upset when their basic reproductive rights— the rights I’ve had for 50 years, that I knew were available when I was bullied—were taken away in college, just as they started their own lives.

Women are busy. You might be reading this between errands after a long day at work. You know when your grocery store has the best deals, how much summer camp costs, and what supplies your son needs for art class. Know the tone of your child’s voice when they are scared and calling you with a problem. You probably made a similar call to your mother too. You are the expert in your family.

In November, remember that your perspective matters and voting is your own private decision. You may have heard from some of your friends that they don’t know enough about politics or the issues to vote.

Here’s what to tell these friends: Trust your gut, because you have a lot of power. You may not have much time to engage with the news, but you know better than anyone what your family needs: lower costs, a good education, and the freedom to make their own decisions. But our fundamental right to make these decisions is under attack.

HARRIS CALLS FOR ELIMINATION OF FILIBUSTER TO TRANSLATE FEDERAL LAW INTO FEDERAL ABORTION BILL ‘ROE’

Since overturning Roeone-third of American women live in a state with an abortion ban. There were 65,000 rape pregnancies in those states during that time. Doctors have seen a clear link between abortion restrictions and rising maternal and infant mortality rates and declining standards of patient care. I’ve seen heartbreaking stories of women like Amber Thurman from Georgia, who died after being denied a life-saving procedure, leaving her 6-year-old son an orphan. There are so many stories just like Amber’s.

I’m sure you’ve also heard about Project 2025. I know the Trump-Vance campaign tried to distance themselves, but let’s be honest – it’s a to-do list. As any woman with a to-do list will tell you, you make one to cross things off.

Their list is terrifying: allowing hospitals to deny care to pregnant women in crisis; establishing a national surveillance system to report your personal medical data – data you rely on when trying to get pregnant or plan your family on your own terms. Even if you live in a state that is “safe,” these proposals will affect you.

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In Michigan, I spoke to hundreds of women across the political spectrum. In 2022, when we won reelection and Michiganders voted to enshrine reproductive freedom in our state constitution, Republican and independent women turned out in record numbers. They came together to protect their rights. In a recent poll, a majority (53%) of Republican women between the ages of 18 and 49 supported a national law guaranteeing access to abortion. We are united because politics does not take place in the doctor’s office.

In November, 10 states will vote for the right to abortion and each state will vote for a president who will set the agenda for our health and our bodies. I encourage you to vote for Kamala Harris, the candidate who championed reproductive freedom and the middle class. Your vote is your choice. You may not agree with me or Kamala Harris on everything, but our lifelong health and wealth depends on our ability to make our own decisions about our own bodies. Please join me in electing a leader who will build a brighter future for our girls – yours and mine.

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