Here's where the five Republican gubernatorial candidates stand on public safety issues, including police reform and gun laws, as well as other criminal justice issues.
Tudor Dixon
Dixon wants to fund deescalation training for law enforcement in Michigan. She wants to do away with implicit bias training, saying that inherent racism and over-policing of minorities are “myths.” She wants no change to the cash bail system and says there should be zero tolerance for riots.
Dixon wants full access with no restrictions on gun ownership for Michigan’s law-abiding citizens.
Ryan Kelley
According to his campaign page, Kelley supports law enforcement and would like to improve their funding and training. However, at the Jan 6th, 2021 riot at the US Capitol, he used his cell phone to film the crowd assaulting and pushing past U. S. Capitol police officers, according to the FBI.
Regarding gun ownership, Kelley supports “constitutional carry,” which would allow someone to carry a concealed weapon without a license or permit. He is against Red Flag laws. If elected, he wants to bring firearm and ammunition manufacturing to Michigan.
Ralph Rebandt
Rebandt says he supports the police. He wants to promote community policing and positive relationships between officers and the public. He said he wants to fully fund the police. He sees this support for law enforcement as “protecting children” and said it will make Michigan a “safe place to raise your children.”
Rebandt wants to “aggressively protect” rights to gun ownership. He believes neighborhoods with more gun owners are safer. When asked about Red Flag Laws, he said he does not want “any laws that infringe on second amendment rights.”
Kevin Rinke
Rinke says on his campaign website that “progressives and socialists throughout our state and country have waged an all out assault on law enforcement and first responders, undermining their service and sacrifice.”
Rinke said he will be a “staunch defender of the law enforcement and first responder community.” He said he will stop any effort to defund the police or undermine first responders in Michigan.
Rinke is a “strong supporter” of constitutional carry, which means being able to carry a concealed weapon without a license or permit. He said he will support gun owners against what he calls “the assault of radical progressives.”
Garrett Soldano
Soldano said he supports full gun access, with no restrictions to firearms from law-abiding citizens. He wants to legalize “constitutional carry,” where a person can have a concealed weapon without a license or permit.
Soldano said that “liberals don’t know about guns,” and should not regulate them. He implies that gun-control activists are going to forcibly confiscate guns from current gun owners.
