Home  /  Michigan State House 14 – 2024

Candidate Comparisons

The NWLC Action Fund aims to inform the public about candidates’ positions on issues affecting gender justice. We encourage voters to get informed, learn where their candidates stand, and to encourage candidates to adopt policy positions that support women and girls. 

A full list of policies used to assess candidates’ support can be found here.

Mike
McFall

vs.

Barbara
Barber

Supports

Support an affordable and accessible care economy

Opposes

Supports

Secure and protect reproductive freedom

Opposes

Supports

Support safe and inclusive schools

Opposes

Supports

Expand democracy

Opposes

Paid for by the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund (www.nwlcactionfund.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Evidences/Citations

Support an affordable and accessible care economy - supports

Mike McFall

  1. Make childcare affordable and accessible – supports
    1. On his campaign website, he calls for “affordable or free childcare and preschool for all kids”
  2. Guarantee paid family and medical leave –  supports
    1. McFall was endorsed by MIAFLCIO, a union organization whose 2024 platform says “To create a fair economy for working families, we can raise the minimum wage to at least $15 for all working people, end subminimum wage, guarantee earned sick leave so working people can care for loved ones when they get sick, and ensure equal pay for equal work for women”

Support an affordable and accessible care economy - opposes

Barbara Barber

  1. Make childcare affordable and accessible – likely opposes
    1. The Republican Platform says they will “make permanent the provisions of the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which was shown to benefit the rich more than other taxpayers. 
  2. Guarantee paid family and medical leave – unclear/silent

Secure and protect reproductive freedom - supports

Mike McFall

  1. Guarantee right to abortion – supports
    1. His campaign website highlights under his accomplishments that “The Democratic Majority repealed the outdated 1931 abortion ban in Michigan, following the overwhelming support for Proposal 3. This move guarantees that individuals in Michigan have the freedom to make choices about their bodies and lives.”
  2. On his campaign website he says he “believes in a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions.”

Secure and protect reproductive freedom - opposes

Barbara Barber

  1. Guarantee right to abortion – opposes
    1. In reference to abortion, the Republican Platform says “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights.”
  2. Expand and protect access to birth control – unclear/silent
    1. On his campaign website, he says he “believes in a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions.”

Support safe and inclusive schools - supports

Mike McFall

  1. Oppose book and curriculum bans – supports
    1. McFall is endorsed by the Michigan chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, which has engaged in initiatives to combat book bans 
  2. Support inclusion of LGBTQI+ students – supports
    1. McFall is endorsed by Equality Michigan, whose Executive Director has spoken out about state attempts to discredit trans student athletes in sports.
    2. As part of the LGBTQ Caucus, he supported strengthening Title IX protections for LGBTQI+ youth

Support safe and inclusive schools - opposes

Barbara Barber

  1. Oppose book and curriculum bans – opposes
    1. The Republican Platform also says “Republicans will ensure children are taught fundamentals like Reading, History, Science, and Math, not Leftwing propaganda. We will defund schools that engage in inappropriate political indoctrination of our children using Federal Taxpayer Dollars.”
    2. The Republican Platform says they will “CUT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ANY SCHOOL PUSHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY, AND OTHER INAPPROPRIATE RACIAL, SEXUAL, OR POLITICAL CONTENT ON OUR CHILDREN”
  2. Support inclusion of LGBTQI+ students – opposes
    1. The Republican Platform says they will “KEEP MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS”
    2. The Republican Platform says “We will keep men out of women’s sports, ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition, reverse Biden’s radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations, and restore protections for women and girls.”

Expand democracy - supports

Mike McFall

  1. Oppose policies that restrict access to the ballot box, like voter ID laws – supports
    1. On his campaign website, he says “I will fight for voting rights and oppose every effort to disenfranchise voters or to place barriers between voters and their ballots.”
  2. Support expanded voting access by increasing the number of polling locations, allowing mail-in and absentee voting, and increasing early voting –  supports
    1. He voted in favor of legislation expanding access to the ballot box by expanding early and absentee voting. 

Expand democracy - opposes

Barbara Barber

  1. Oppose policies that restrict access to the ballot box, like voter ID laws – opposes
    1. The Republican Platform says they would “SECURE OUR ELECTIONS, INCLUDING SAME DAY VOTING, VOTER IDENTIFICATION, PAPER BALLOTS, AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP”
      1. It also says “We will implement measures to secure our Elections, including Voter ID, highly sophisticated paper ballots, proof of Citizenship, and same day Voting. We will not allow the Democrats to give Voting Rights to illegal Aliens”
  2. Support expanded voting access by increasing the number of polling locations, allowing mail-in and absentee voting, and increasing early voting