Four of the five remaining GOP candidates for governor squared off for a debate Thursday on Mackinac Island, with the discussion running the gamut from banning abortion to mass shootings, and from election fraud claims to slashing state spending.
Since the GOP gubernatorial candidates are unvaccinated against COVID-19, the event was held in an outdoor tent on the front lawn of the Grand Hotel as part of the Mackinac Island Policy Conference. Far-right activist Ryan Kelley boycotted the event in protest of the conference’s vaccine requirement, even though it had been waived for gubernatorial candidates and debate attendees.
COVID-19 conspiracies also abounded, with most of those casting a negative light on Whitmer, similar to comments made at the Livingston County forum.
Soldano noted that in addition to supporting medical and religious waivers for COVID-19, he would add a “philosophical waiver” as an option to refuse the vaccine.
Rebandt proposed eliminating the state’s more than $10 billion General Fund budget, which funds the Michigan State Police, state parks, local governments, prisons, state universities, community colleges and more.