A

s 
a 
University 
of 
Michigan 
graduate, 
former member of the 
Michigan 
Marching 
Band 
and a lifelong Wolverine fan, 
I am saddened by the retweet 
from Michigan running back 
Donovan 
Edwards’s 
account 
of a clip containing virulent 
antisemitism from Kanye West, 
with the caption “Jewish people 
will literally tell you that they 
want you to kill your own and 
humiliate your women simply 
because 
they 
have 
children 
to feed.” There is no place at 
the University for racism and 
antisemitism.

I 
believe 
the 
athletic 
department 
should 
set 
an 
example of Michigan’s high bar 
of academic, athletic and ethical 

excellence by suspending Mr. 
Edwards 
for 
this 
weekend’s 
game against Michigan State 
University. Edwards and the 
team should understand that 

there is no place for this behavior 
at Michigan. Had a white player 
retweeted a racist David Duke 
tweet, for example, I believe 

that player should and would be 
suspended.
 The team is more than one 
player, and this behavior cannot 
be tolerated.

I believe the athletic department should set an 
example of Michigan’s high bar of academic, 
athletic and ethical excellence by suspending 
Mr. Edwards for this weekend’s game against 
Michigan State University.

Opinion
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 — 11
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Letter to the Editor: 
Suspend Donovan Edwards

Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St. 
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

PAIGE HODDER
Editor in Chief
JULIAN BARNARD AND 
SHUBHUM GIROTI
Editorial Page Editors

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of The Daily’s Editorial Board. 
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Ammar Ahmad

Julian Barnard

Brandon Cowit

Jess D’Agostino

Ben Davis

Shubhum Giroti

Devon Hesano

Sophia Lehrbaum

Olivia Mouradian

Siddharth Parmar

Rushabh Shah

Nikhil Sharma

Lindsey Spencer

Evan Stern

Anna Trupiano

Jack Tumpowsky

Alex Yee

Quin Zapoli

VANESSA KIEFER 
AND KATE WEILAND 
Managing Editors

I

t’s the most wonderful 
time of the year! It’s 
not Christmas, but it is 
time for the biennial elections. 
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Michigan 
voters will have the opportunity 
to vote for a variety of state-
level 
politicians, 
including 
governor, Secretary of State and 
attorney general, as well as U.S. 
Representatives. Furthermore, 
three proposals will be on the 
ballot this upcoming Tuesday, 
covering several crucial policy 
areas.
Michigan voters can register 
until 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 and can do 
so in person at any township or 
city office or at the University 
of Michigan Museum of Art.
Gubernatorial Race
Occupying 
much 
of 
the 
recent 
discourse 
around 
Michigan politics, the race for 
governor is hotly contested. 
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is 
up for reelection after spending 
the last four years in office. A 
near life-long public servant, 
Whitmer spent 13 years in the 
Michigan 
State 
Legislature. 
During her term as governor, 
Whitmer 
helped 
create 
thousands of jobs, increased 
funding for education and led 
the state through the pandemic.
She is opposed by Trump-
endorsed 
Republican 
Tudor 
Dixon, who is new to politics 
and has spent her professional 
life working for her father’s 
steel foundry, as an actress 
and, 
most 
recently, 
as 
a 
conservative TV commentator. 
Key 
elements 
of 
Dixon’s 
campaign include increasing 
parental involvement in public 
schooling, opposing COVID-19 
lockdowns and cutting down on 
corporate regulation.
The 
candidates’ 
divergent 
views 
and 
experiences 
are 
nowhere more apparent than on 
the issue of reproductive rights, 
which are at the forefront of 
many voters’ minds in the 
aftermath of the overturning of 
Roe v. Wade. 
Tudor 
Dixon 
opposes 
exceptions for rape and incest, 
but 
supports 
exceptions 
to 
protect 
the 
health 
of 
the 
mother. Despite her staunchly 
pro-life stance, Dixon stated 
in a recent debate she would 
accept the results of Proposal 
3, 
which 
would 
codify 
reproductive 
rights 
in 
the 
state if passed. Even with this 
cession, Dixon has expressed 
her disapproval of the proposal, 
although she has stated that 
she does not believe abortion 
should be an issue for the 
gubernatorial race. While the 
proposal on the ballot should 
be the determining factor on 
the matter, this Editorial Board 
has concerns that even if it 
passes, Dixon may implement 
roadblocks to abortion access 
or fail to respect the outcome 
entirely, a concern enhanced 
by her refusal to accept the 
results of the 2020 presidential 
election. 
On the contrary, Whitmer 
is in full support of Proposal 
3 and intends to uphold the 
rights guaranteed under Roe 
v. Wade. She has evidenced 
this 
commitment 
not 
only 
through her urgency to protect 

reproductive rights before the 
overturning of Roe v. Wade, 
but also through her continued 
advocacy for these rights since 
the Supreme Court’s decision 
to overturn. In the fallout of 
the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson 
Women’s Health Organization 
decision, she sued to block 
the enforcement of a strictly 
anti-abortion 1931 law that is 
still on Michigan’s books and 
has worked to share accurate 
information on abortion. If 
re-elected, she would seek to 
ensure that individuals have, 
and 
subsequently 
maintain, 
access to abortion care and 
other reproductive rights.
In addition to her advocacy 
for reproductive rights, another 
important issue Whitmer has 
been vocal about is gun control. 
In late July, Whitmer signed an 
executive directive aimed at 
reducing the amount of illegal 
guns and increasing compliance 
checks to identify those who 
cannot legally own a gun due 
to past criminal history. She 
has also expressed her support 
for background checks, secure 
storage and red flag laws. 
There 
is 
also 
room 
for 
improvement 
on 
Whitmer’s 
promise 
to 
“fix 
the 
damn 
roads.” Despite being a major 
aspect 
of 
Whitmer’s 
2018 
campaign, this goal has not 
been 
comprehensively 
met: 
There has been only a 4% 
increase in the amount of roads 
rated “in good condition” since 
Whitmer took office in 2019. 
Should Whitmer be reelected 
next week, she should be held 
accountable for the promises 
she so ardently made to voters. 
Even 
with 
these 
shortcomings, 
Gretchen 
Whitmer is the better candidate 
to lead the state of Michigan 
for the coming four years. Her 
track record has shown that 
she is a capable politician, 
in touch with Michiganders 
and aware of the issues most 
significant to Michigan. The 
other major-party candidate, 
Tudor Dixon, lacks experience 
and holds what many would 
consider extreme views. With 
consideration 
of 
all 
these 
factors, this Editorial Board 
endorses Gretchen Whitmer for 
Governor of Michigan. 
Secretary of State Race
The 
race 
for 
Michigan’s 
Secretary of State is between 
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and 
Republican Kristina Karamo. 
Benson, the incumbent, has 
had 
an 
extensive 
impact 
on improving access to the 
Secretary of State’s functions 
with her emphasis on making 
more functions of the SOS 
available online. While in 2018, 
only 28% of all Secretary of 
State-involved 
transactions, 
like 
renewing 
a 
drivers 
license, could be done online, 
today 60% can be completed 
without having to step foot in 
a SOS office. This increased 
utilization of digital operations 
has resulted in an average office 
visit time of just 20 minutes 
— a shocking figure when 
considering 
the 
notoriously 
long 
wait 
times 
previous 
generations have endured.
As the Secretary of State 
is responsible for overseeing 
elections 
and 
ensuring 
a 
fair and democratic process, 
Karamo’s spreading of election 
misinformation 
should 
be 

considered. 
Karamo 
openly 
discussed 
her 
opposition 
to the outcome of the 2020 
presidential 
election, 
a 
position insufficiently backed 
by disproved claims of voter 
fraud. In contrast to Benson’s 
established 
success 
in 
this 
position, Karamo’s continued 
reliance on scare tactics and 
conspiracy theories make her 
a less suitable choice for the 
position of Secretary of State 
and as such, the Editorial Board 
is endorsing Jocelyn Benson for 
Secretary of State.
Attorney General Race
Incumbent Democrat Dana 
Nessel 
is 
running 
against 
Republican Matthew DePerno 
for Michigan Attorney General. 
The 
position 
of 
attorney 
general 
holds 
significant 
influence, including the power 
to 
appoint 
state 
attorneys 
and 
the 
responsibility 
of 
investigating questions relating 
to elections and the removal 
of public officials — making 
the race extremely important 
in determining the future of 
Michigan’s justice system.
A topic of contention in the 
race is the investigation of 
DePerno for plotting to steal 
and 
tamper 
with 
election 
machines. As this investigation 
falls under the oversight of the 
attorney general’s office, Nessel 
appointed a special prosecutor 
to investigate DePerno in an 
attempt to avoid any conflict 
of interest. This showed her 
ability to be impartial and 
apolitical when necessary; an 
important 
characteristic 
for 
an attorney general. DePerno’s 
evident unpredictability makes 
Dana 
Nessel 
this 
Editorial 
Board’s preferred candidate.
District 6 House Race
The leading candidates in the 
U.S. House of Representatives 
race in Michigan’s 6th district, 
which includes Ann Arbor, 
are 
incumbent 
Democrat 
Debbie Dingell and Republican 
Whitney 
Williams. 
While 
Williams would be new to 
politics if elected, the Dingell 
family has a long-held political 
dynasty: Debbie was elected to 
her husband’s seat after almost 
60 years of his service, and 
almost 22 years by his father 
before that.
Dingell vies for progressive 
policies 
related 
to 
health 
care 
and 
the 
environment. 
A 
proponent 
of 
expanding 
health care coverage, Dingell 
is working to restore previous 
protections 
under 
the 
Affordable Care Act. She has 
also worked on several pieces 
of legislation to increase fuel 
efficiency and protect the Great 
Lakes. In addition to these 
policies, Dingell advocates for 
progress within the automotive 
industry 
with 
a 
focus 
on 
uplifting new companies in 
Michigan.
Even 
though 
Williams’s 
website has an aesthetic flare 
that Dingell’s might not be 
able to compete with, it lacks 
substance 
relating 
to 
her 
stances 
on 
political 
issues. 
While 
there 
are 
not 
any 
glaring controversies related to 
Williams’s platform, its lack of 
specificity speaks for itself.
Considering the role Dingell 
plays on a national level, if she 
loses her incumbent seat, the 
House of Representatives will 
become one seat closer to having 

Republican Kevin McCarthy as 
the Speaker of the House. This 
will be dangerous not only to 
progressive initiatives but also 
the 
trajectory 
of 
American 
politics as a whole, as he would 
likely be influenced by some of 
the more extreme members of 
the Republican Party. Dingell’s 
seat is an important one that 
she should retain because of her 
involved role in the community 
and how she has wielded her 
role to help the constituents 
of the district. As such, this 
Editorial 
Board 
endorses 
Debbie Dingell for Michigan’s 
6th district. 
State Senator Race
Other 
contentious 
races 
on the ballot in and around 
Ann Arbor are those for state 
senators, in which Democrat Sue 
Shink is up against Republican 
Tim Golding in District 14, and 
Incumbent Democrat Jeff Irwin 
is up against Republican Scott 
Price in District 15. District 15 
will be the less controversial of 
the two races, as Irwin is in a 
generally safe seat. The District 
14 race, however, is a highly 
competitive one, as it extends 
beyond Ann Arbor into rural 
parts of the state. 
Policy-wise, 
Shink’s 
goals 
for climate policy, pollution 
accountability 
and 
mental 
health 
support 
are 
more 
productive 
and 
rigorously 
outlined than Golding’s focus 
on family values and Second 
Amendment 
rights. 
Shink’s 
actionable policy goals lead 
this Editorial Board to endorse 
Sue 
Shink 
as 
District 
14’s 
Senator. Given the fact that a 
Democratic 
majority 
within 
the 
Michigan 
Legislature 
would 
make 
policymaking 
more efficient under a Whitmer 
administration, we endorse Jeff 
Irwin as District 15’s Senator.
Proposals 1, 2 and 3
On 
the 
ballot 
alongside 
these elections are three ballot 
initiatives, labeled “proposals.” 
Equally, if not more important 
than the aforementioned races, 
these proposals concern the 
integrity of our state politics, 
the protection of democratic 
access and the safeguarding 
of reproductive rights for all 
Michiganders. It is key to 
take a similar degree of care 
in considering one’s choice 
on these initiatives, as their 

outcomes 
have 
the 
ability 
to determine the future of 
Michigan’s politics and the 
everyday life of its citizens.
Proposal 1 concerns term 
limits 
for 
state 
legislators 
and 
the 
requirement 
that 
they publicly disclose their 
personal financial assets and 
income sources. The initiative 
proposes the term limit for 
state officials be lowered from 
14 to 12 years. Currently, state 
officials in Michigan are able 
to serve six years in the House 
and eight years in the Senate, 
but if this proposal were to 
be approved, they would be 
only be able to serve their 
tenure in one chamber of the 
Legislature. This would allow 
representatives to gain more 
experience in one chamber 
while also limiting the amount 
of time they spend in office.
The 
second 
section 
of 
Proposal 
1 
concerns 
the 
financial 
transparency 
of 
state 
officials. 
Michigan 
is 
just one of two states — Idaho 
being the other — that does 
not require elected officials 
to 
disclose 
their 
financial 
information. This aspect of 
the proposition is a common 
sense addition to the Michigan 
Constitution: politicians should 
be 
transparent 
about 
their 
earnings, as their constituents 
deserve the right to see who is 
funding their causes. 
The approval of Proposal 
1 is essential in protecting 
the ethics of Michigan’s state 
politics. Placing additional term 
limits on officials and requiring 
that they be more open about 
their earnings creates a more 
democratic and honest system 
for Michigan citizens, leading 
this Editorial Board to endorse 
a “Yes” vote on Proposal 1.
The next initiative on the 
ballot is Proposal 2, which, if 
approved, would expand voting 
rights in Michigan, lengthen the 
period to vote by absentee ballot 
and allow for multiple forms 
of voter identification. The 
“Promote the Vote” initiative, 
as it is being called, would 
promote both election security 
and 
accessibility, 
variables 
that have become increasingly 
important since the previous 
election cycle. In approving 
nine 
days 
of 
early 
voting, 
Proposal 2 would allow for a 

transition to more equitable 
and flexible elections, wherein 
all eligible Michigan voters 
have the chance to participate 
in the election process. Voting 
“Yes” for this ballot initiative is 
a vote to enhance the integrity 
of state elections and grant 
more democratic voting access. 
As such, our Editorial Board 
endorses a “Yes” vote on this 
proposal. 
Proposal 
3 
is 
arguably 
the 
most 
notable 
of 
the 

aforementioned 
ballot 

initiatives. Also known as the 
“Reproductive 
Freedom 
for 
All” initiative, this proposition 
would establish the individual 
right for reproductive care for 
all 
Michiganders, 
including 
the right to make decisions 
about childbirth, contraception 
and abortion. It would also 
invalidate an abortion ban from 
1931 which assigns criminal 
penalties for those who obtain 
or 
administer 
abortions 
in 
Michigan.
This initiative is the subject 
of current debate, with an 
extremely 
widespread 
“No” 
campaign 
that 
claims 
the 
proposition 
is 
“confusing” 
and 
“extreme.” 
But 
what 
this 
Editorial 
Board 
finds 
even more “extreme” is the 
alternative to the approval of 
this initiative: a “No” vote on 
the proposition leaves those 
who depend on reproductive 
health care in Michigan in a 
dangerous situation, one where 
the draconian 1931 ban could 
be enforced. It is essential 
that we approve this ballot 
initiative in order to validate 
reproductive rights and protect 
the future of abortion in the 
state of Michigan. As such, the 
Editorial Board recommends a 
“Yes” vote on Proposal 3.
Our vote has power, and it 
is essential that we recognize 
that fact. The future of the 
state of Michigan rests on the 
outcome of your vote, from your 
governor to your reproductive 
rights. You have the power to 
protect the lives, bodies and 
interests of Michiganders this 
year, and it is exceedingly 
important that you utilize your 
fundamental democratic right. 
Vote this year — in-person, 
early or on Election Day — and 
lead the change that you want 
to see in the state of Michigan.

From the Daily, Endorsements for the 2022 Michigan midterms

THE MICHIGAN DAILY 
EDITORIAL BOARD

ROD LOEWENTHAL

LILA TURNER/Daily

