State House candidates offer answers on abortion, insurance reform

Gun Rights

Three Republican candidates are vying for the opportunity to appear on the November general election ballot and a chance to serve the Midland area in Lansing.

Midland County Clerk Ann Manary, Bill G. Schuette and Charles A. McGinnis, Jr. are running for the new 95th State Representative District encompassing Midland County and parts of Gladwin County.  

The Daily News sent the candidates our questions and asked them to keep their responses to less than 100 words. The Daily News lightly edited answers for clarity and style. Efforts to contact McGinnis were unsuccessful. For more coverage on 95th State Representative District visit ourmidland.com and read the “2022 Primary Election Voter Guide.”


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If legislation that would effectively ban abortion in Michigan – in all forms and under all circumstances – came before you for a vote, would you vote to approve it? This requires a yes or no answer.

MANARY: No.

SCHUETTE: No. I am Pro-Life. The current abortion law in Michigan includes an exception “to save the life of the mother.” This exception needs to be maintained. Abortion is a very personal and sensitive issue. We need to devote more resources for pre-natal care and pregnant mothers, during pregnancy and after birth.

This is a “gotcha” question. Your questionnaire fails to discuss that the pro-abortion ballot initiative would result in abortions being performed at any time until birth, would permit taxpayers funding of abortions and would eliminate the parental consent for minors. That is extreme and radical.

It’s possible that Michigan’s abortion law will change as guidelines move back to the states to decide. If Michigan’s law criminalizes abortion, would you support legislation that would allow police to arrest and prosecute mothers and abortion providers?

For a complete list of candidates and ballot proposals on the Aug. 2 ballot, visit ourmidland.com. 


 MANARY: I believe my stance on this topic is clear. I believe medical decisions are to be made by patients and physicians, not politicians. I certainly would not advocate arresting someone who is making one of the hardest decisions of their life, one that will impact their future. Once we allow politicians to make medical decisions for us, what’s next, forced vaccinations? I would oppose any limitations on our freedom to make our own choices regarding our health and wellbeing.

SCHUETTE: Under current Michigan law, women would never be prosecuted. Not ever. This protection must be maintained. Again, I oppose prosecuting pregnant mothers.

With recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, Buffalo, New York, and Oxford, many Michiganders are calling for gun control measures. Would you support or oppose universal background checks, assault weapon bans, high-capacity magazine bans, red flag laws or any other legislation that would limit the Second Amendment in Michigan? Explain your reasoning.

MANARY: I would support bi-partisan legislation to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce violence across the country. Legislation that would not infringe on anyone’s second amendment rights. This should include provisions for funding of mental health services which are critically lacking in our state and across the nation.  I believe there should be stronger background checks for people under 21 to allow law enforcement time to make those checks locally.  I also believe there should be provisions made for individuals convicted of domestic violence to include a mandatory waiting period before their right to purchase is restored.

SCHUETTE: When you see these tragedies, your heart breaks. In Michigan and across America, we have a mental health and violent crime crisis. We must devote resources to address these problems. We need to enhance our school safety procedures. I support funding for mental health coordinators for school districts and School Resource Officers. We have hundreds of gun laws already on the books. Instead of trying to create new government gun control, let’s give our law enforcement the resources they need.

I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and am endorsed by the NRA.

Should public school curriculum decisions fall solely to state education and local school officials? What if any input should parents have on what is taught in classrooms in areas such as history, government and science?

MANARY: I believe I am the most qualified candidate to address this. I am not only a product of a public school system, I am also a parent. To ensure our children’s future there needs to be a collaboration of parents, local school officials and the state. We have to rely on the experts here in Midland we have great educators, superintendents and school boards who care about our children and make the best choices for them.  I will go to Lansing not just to fight for your rights as a parent, but to fight for my own.

SCHUETTE: Parents must have a seat at the table in their child’s education. Parents must be in charge of their children’s education and curriculum, not state bureaucrats. Nobody cares more about their child than their parent. In the past months, by listening to and attending school board meetings in Bullock Creek, Coleman and Midland it is clear that parents rightly want to be involved in what their children are learning. Michigan’s third grade reading scores are dismal, particularly after school shutdowns. Let’s focus on the basics, teaching our children reading, writing and math.

Do you believe that critical race theory is being taught in Michigan’s elementary, middle and high schools? Please clearly answer yes or no and then explain your reasoning.

MANARY: No, I do not believe it is being taught currently in our schools. I take an active role in education, communicating regularly with our area superintendent’s and principals and can assure you, this is not a curriculum offered in our classrooms.

SCHUETTE: I would hope that Critical Race Theory is not taught in our schools and it should not be taught in our schools. I am opposed to the teaching of curricula which presumes that America is inherently bad and evil. Our country is inherently good. While not perfect, since our founding in 1776, we have made progress towards equal opportunity for all. 

We have work to do, but let’s teach our children the full beauty of the American story, from the Declaration of Independence to the horrors of slavery; from the injustice of segregation to our triumph over the Nazis. 

Many Michiganders are dealing with higher costs at grocery stores and $5-a-gallon gas prices. What is one idea you would bring to Lansing to try to help Michigan residents trying to cope with rising inflation and gas prices?

MANARY: Stop playing the blame game. Anyone who feels that one or two individuals control the world’s oil price is either a fool, or counting on ignorance. The reality is rising fuel costs are caused by a variety circumstances and these increasing fuel prices translate to increased costs for goods and services. We don’t need a temporary solution such as putting aside taxes, only to bring them back later. We need a permanent solution. One positive effect of high oil prices is the development of our domestic oil fields. Let’s take away the ability of foreign markets to manipulate oil prices.

SCHUETTE: Joe Biden’s Presidency eliminated America’s energy independence. On day one President Biden banned permitting for new drilling for gas and oil and stopped the construction of pipelines. Biden and the Democrats reckless fiscal and monetary policies have caused the inflation highest rates in 40 years. I hear daily from residents in Mid-Michigan how the pain at the pump and the grocery store is hurting them. When Biden-Inflation is taxing everyone’s saving and paycheck, we should cut our State Income Tax to give every Michigander a pay raise and put more money back in their wallet. 

After the 2020 general election, the integrity of U.S elections became a debated issue. Michigan was one of the states that often was cited by critics as having problems. Do you believe that the 2020 election in Michigan resulted in fair and honest results? Do you believe that a level of fraud occurred that resulted in an unfair and dishonest result?

MANARY: Michigan’s election system is a stunning example of how elections should be ran nationally. We have an abundance of checks and balances built into the procedures to ensure fair and accurate results, the backbone being our reliance on paper ballots. As Midland Counties Chief Election Officer, I participate in all levels of our elections. If there are any discrepancies, or if a race is close, recounting those paper ballots is essential. I work to educate electors and welcome any citizen who has questions to visit my office.  The 2020 election was fair, the results were honest there was NO fraud.

SCHUETTE: Joe Biden is President. Democrats used every trick in their book during the 2020 elections. The Democrat Secretary of State mass mailed millions of applications for absentee ballots – I know of friends who received multiple applications or applications for those who no longer lived at their address and Courts in Michigan have ruled that Democrat Jocelyn Benson illegally changed ballot signature verification procedures. This eroded the faith that many have in the integrity of our elections process. That is why I support commonsense election integrity measures like Photo ID requirements which will help restore faith in our democratic process. 

What type of election reform, if any, would you support as state representative?

MANARY: I believe people inherently don’t trust what they don’t understand, I would like to change that. I offer an open door to citizens to explain the election process and the checks and balances built into our electoral process. I don’t believe in fear tactics used to manipulate and coerce those without a clear understanding of our procedures. I believe in education and participation. We need citizens to take an active role in monitoring our elections, if, for nothing more, than to serve as a testimony to the outstanding work our Precinct Inspectors do here in this state.

SCHUETTE: Voting should be honest and easy. That is why I support common-sense voter integrity measures like Photo ID requirements and Secure MI Vote. Photo ID for voting is not a burdensome requirement. You often must show an ID to cash a check or board an airplane. Photo ID requirements will go a long way in restoring faith in our elections. Voting must also be accessible for everyone, which is why I support efforts to provide free photo IDs to those who may not afford one. This would help provide greater confidence in the security and integrity of our elections.

Some states are considering, or have passed laws, banning transgender athletes from competing in sports with the gender they identify with. Would you support a similar bill in Michigan?  

MANARY: No. I would oppose a blanket ban of transgender student athletes.  A lot of research remains yet to be done.  However, I would propose that each sport and its relevant regulatory body develop standards balancing the interests in maintaining fairness and integrity within the sport with the societal goal of inclusion and non-discrimination based upon gender identity. 

SCHUETTE: We recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX and it is critical to provide equal opportunity for women and girls sports across America. Let’s provide fair and equal opportunities for women to compete against women. If the intent and purpose of Title IX is violated, then federal and state legislators should pass laws to protect women’s athletic competition.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled in favor of a public high school football coach who led the team in Christian prayers on the field. Another decision allowed taxpayer money to be used to pay to send students to attend religious schools in Maine. How would your religious beliefs impact your decision-making when you consider proposed legislation? Do you think faith should play any role in the job of an elected official?

MANARY: I believe in the separation of Church and State, but I also believe that an individual’s faith shapes not only who they are, but also influences their decisions. The basis for all faiths is equality, and that all individuals should be treated justly.

SCHUETTE: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the rights of a football coach to privately say a prayer on a football field and ruled that private religious schools may not be discriminated against and may receive state funding for educational programs. These are two good rulings. I make no apologies for my personal relationship with Jesus Christ and my Christian faith. It is a deep part of who I am. In America we have the right to freely exercise our faith and are protected from the establishment of government sponsored religion. I will always respect divergent views and beliefs. 

As state representative, explain one idea you would bring to Lansing to improve mental health care for Michiganders.

MANARY: Mental Healthcare is an essential component for curbing mass shootings. If we truly want to intervene, we need to get people help before they decide to harm others. Early diagnoses and availability of affordable treatment for mental conditions is imperative to solving this crisis and I will work diligently to provide resources to communities to intervene earlier, with help for both early diagnoses and effective treatment.

SCHUETTE: We have a mental health crisis in America. The impact is felt acutely in our school aged students. Children suffered traumatic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic amid the closure of schools and forced masking. We should provide more funding to address this challenge. I support creating Mental Health Coordinator positions for school districts and more funding for counseling services in our schools. We ask a lot of our administrators and teachers. This would allow them to focus on teaching and give the mental health of our young people the attention it deserves. 

Michigan’s auto insurance reform has helped many save money on auto insurance, but it also has stripped away financial support for residents who have suffered catastrophic injuries in auto accidents. What can be done to provide necessary support for disabled crash survivors and yet keep insurance premiums more manageable for Michigan families?

MANARY: I believe that this was an unintended mistake made by the legislators who signed this bill, even the Midland County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution supporting changes being made to the legislation. This issue does need to be addressed sooner rather than later so that people can continue to have the support and help they deserve.

SCHUETTE: Before Michigan’s auto-insurance reform, we were paying some of the highest costs in the country for auto-insurance. Michigan’s current structure is more competitive with other states and provides options for drivers to choose their desired level of coverage. This was an important step, but work remains to be done. The catastrophic claims fund was often ‘raided’ in budget cuts. We now have record budgets surpluses. We should examine approaches to fund a mechanism to provide coverage to assist those suffering catastrophic injuries. 

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