How can Michigan prevent school shootings? More guns, GOP governor candidates say

On May 29, 2022

Four days after the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, Michigan’s Republican candidates for governor were asked how Michigan can protect students from school shootings.

Each presented various ideas during the Saturday, May 28, Republican governor candidate debate in Traverse City – but they all argued we need more guns in schools to keep kids safe.

Tudor Dixon, Ryan Kelley, Michael Markey Jr., Ralph Rebandt, Kevin Rinke and Garrett Soldano participated in the debate.

“Taking guns away from law-abiding citizens … is not the solution,” Rinke said. “I will defend the Second Amendment the same way I will defend the Constitution – at all costs … We need to fix the people.”

Nineteen students and two adults died in the Texas school shooting. It comes six months after a school shooting inside Michigan’s own borders, where four students were killed at Oxford High School.

Rinke advocated for finding “former military to see if they would become interested in (being) hall monitors.”

Rebandt proposed a similar solution.

“I would not only have law enforcement officers who are retired vets in the schools, but I would also have gun-sniffing dogs,” Rebandt said. “Guns haven’t changed. But what has changed is the heart and the culture of the state and the country. And unless we bring God back into the classroom, the courtroom and the culture, we’re going to see it erode.”

Rebandt, Rinke and Dixon also talked about how schools should have a single point of entry, for security reasons.

Dixon and Markey argued schools shouldn’t be gun-free zones, as it makes them a “sitting duck,” Dixon said.

“My dad always said, ‘Locks only keep honest people honest,’” Markey said. “When you start messing with the Second Amendment, guess what the next one is going to be? The First Amendment.”

Dixon talked about dropping her girls off for school.

“Every day I have that thought – are they safe?” Dixon said.

Michigan should take advice from Florida and work on “hardening” schools to make them safer from potential shooters, Dixon said. She said schools should be protected like jewelry stores and banks, by armed security.

While Democrats nationwide have argued for background checks, a higher minimum age to purchase guns and a ban on assault weapons, Republicans argue the core of the issue is helping the people who become the shooters.

“We don’t have a gun problem, folks,” Soldano said. “What we have is a culture problem. We have a mental health crisis problem. We have a social media problem.”

Soldano said Michigan should allow teachers to be armed if they want to be. He also mentioned his support for unrestricted carry laws.

Kelley also mentioned mental health as a factor, pointing toward the push for “gender dysphoria” and other societal problems. Schools should do a better job watching for warning signs from students and put up metal detectors at all doors, he said.

Other highlights from the debate

Saturday marked the second GOP governor candidate debate, and the first since five candidates were disqualified from the ballot for having allegedly fraudulent signatures on their petitions.

Markey, one of the five candidates kicked off the ballot, was allowed to participate Saturday as he continues to fight his battle in the courts.

James Craig, Perry Johnson and Donna Brandenburg – all also disqualified – declined to participate. The winner of the Aug. 2 GOP governor primary will face incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Nov. 8.

The debate was moderated by Eric Lloyd, chief political reporter from 9&10 News. Topics included the 2020 election, abortion, Line 5, education, transparency and government mandates.

All six candidates said the 2020 election was unfair. That includes Markey, who recently changed his stance on this topic.

On Thursday, Markey said, “I’m one of the few candidates that came out and said I support the 2020 election results,” and boasted of being a “non-crazy Republican.” Markey said he’s changed his tune after the Board of Canvassers disqualified him from the ballot, despite what he says is ample evidence proving his signatures were legitimate.

He thought if there were problems with the 2020 election, judges would consider the evidence. After this week, he has less confidence in the system.

“I have significant, severe issues, now, with the 2020 election,” Markey said Saturday. “Yeah, it’s changed my mind.”

Soldano and Dixon said Michigan shouldn’t send out absentee ballot applications to voters.

Rebandt boasted of the endorsement of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Rinke said he’s working with Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo on election security solutions and Kelley reminded viewers he was in Washington, D.C. during the Jan. 6 insurrection to support President Donald Trump.

While the six candidates mostly agreed on all issues, there was some debate over what to do with Michigan’s multi-billion-dollar budget surplus. Rinke is proposing to eliminate Michigan’s 4.25% income tax.

“It’s the quickest way that we can address the people getting back $12 billion of their money,” Rinke said.

Multiple candidates said the plan isn’t feasible, including Soldano, Kelley and Markey.

“Mr. Rinke says we can just take our budget back to 2016. So I ask everyone who shops at his automotive dealerships to ask for 2016 prices,” Markey said. “This isn’t a ‘snap your fingers and we can make it work.’”

Dixon hinted that Whitmer wants to use the money to “buy votes.” Since this is one-time funding, it should only be used on one-time projects like hardening schools, beefing up police departments, fixing roads and more.

The next governor debate is Thursday, June 2, at the Mackinac Policy Conference. None of the disqualified candidates will be allowed to participate unless their status changes by Thursday.

Kelley has backed out of the conference’s debate, since it’s requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for attendees – even though the rule doesn’t apply to the governor’s debate, since it’s outdoors.

Kelley is challenging the other candidates to withdraw, too.

“If you allow the radical left to run the show now, you will allow the radical left to run the show later,” Kelley said.

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