Daniel J. Mahoney Says He Believes in Protecting Women’s Right to Choose

The Democratic candidate for House District 46 is Daniel J. Mahoney. Mahoney has served as the Mayor of Jackson, Michigan since 2021, winning elections in 2021 and again in 2023. Mahoney is a supporter of reproductive rights, having stated earlier this year, “I firmly believe in protecting women's right to choose. A woman's autonomy over her own body is a fundamental human right. The ability to make personal decisions about reproductive health, including access to abortion and contraceptives, is essential for the well-being and equality of all women.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion once again became a hot-button issue in elections throughout the country. Democrats widely support reproductive rights and access to abortion. Democratic legislators in Michigan, including every Democratic member in the state House, voted in favor of repealing a 1931 abortion ban that could have taken effect after Roe was overturned. Michigan House Democrats have listed reproductive rights at the top of their priorities, indicating that access to abortion will remain a key campaign issue as they seek to retain their majority. 

Mahoney is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Kathy Schmaltz, who was elected in 2022. Rep. Schmaltz voted against the package of bills that removed the 1931 abortion ban from Michigan law. The 1931 law banned abortion at conception without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalized nurses and doctors who assisted in them. Rep. Schmaltz has been endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan PAC, which requires their candidates to be pro-life with no exceptions but to save the life of the mother, even in the case of rape or incest. 

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the Republican Party of Michigan praised the decision, calling it “a huge win.” 

Updated September 25, 2024.