Press Release National
Press Release
Reproductive Freedom for All Endorses Kimberly Ann Thomas and Kyra Harris Bolden for Michigan Supreme Court
For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 6, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
Reproductive Freedom for All Endorses Kimberly Ann Thomas and Kyra Harris Bolden for Michigan Supreme Court
Washington, DC — Today, Reproductive Freedom for All Michigan endorsed Kimberly Ann Thomas and Kyra Harris Bolden for the Michigan Supreme Court. This is the first endorsement for the Michigan Supreme Court highlighting the importance of our courts and ensuring reproductive freedom for all Michiganders. This November, Democrats have the opportunity to increase their majority on the state court by electing another reproductive freedom champion to continue to protect abortion access in the Michigan state constitution. Harris Bolden, who has previously served in the state legislature, is the first Black woman to serve on Michigan’s Supreme Court. Thomas is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer and law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, where she co-founded and directs the Juvenile Justice Clinic. Thomas also served on the bipartisan Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform.
Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“This is a historic opportunity to elect Kyra Harris Bolden, the first Black woman to the Michigan Supreme Court, who is a tried and true reproductive freedom champion, and to elect Kimerbely Ann Thomas, an experienced trial and appellate lawyer to the makeup of the Court. We’ve seen time and again that state courts are on the front lines of our fight for reproductive freedom. Michiganders need justices they can trust to uphold their rights—and that’s why we need Bolden and Thomas on the court. ”
Reproductive Freedom for All Director of Michigan Campaigns Shanay Watson-Whittaker released the following statement:
“It’s critical that we have fair and impartial justices on the Michigan Supreme Court who will uphold the abortion rights Michiganders have fought so hard to enshrine. We know that Kyra Harris Bolden and Kimberly Ann Thomas are the judges to do the job, and we’re proud to endorse them in this race. Our members on the ground are fired up and ready to get to work to elect these candidates this November.”
Harris Bolden and Thomas are running against state Representative Andrew Fink and Court of Appeals judge Mark Boonstra. Fink has a record of supporting and sponsoring anti-abortion legislation in the Michigan House and boasted about his work to defund Planned Parenthood on his campaign website. Boonstra has been public in opinions about his disdain of Governor Whitmer and has spoken at several Federalist Society events, an openly anti-abortion legal organization.
Reproductive Freedom for All is already on the ground in states across the country—including Michigan—as part of its largest-ever electoral program, working to ensure reproductive freedom champions are elected from statehouses to the White House and that we protect and expand abortion rights and access through ballot measures. Our 2024 program connects voters with opportunities to make immediate, tangible change to help build a future where everyone is free to make their own decisions about their bodies, lives, and families.
In November, on the heels of yet another resounding victory for abortion rights in elections across the country, Reproductive Freedom for All launched its “Vote for Repro Freedom” campaign. This digital and grassroots campaign will harness the momentum of big wins in Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky by encouraging voters to commit to voting in 2024 for reproductive freedom champions as the first step in mobilizing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
Read more about Reproductive Freedom for All’s endorsed candidates here.
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For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.