VP Kamala Harris to talk abortion rights in Grand Rapids next week

Washington ― Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Michigan next week, five days ahead of the state's Feb. 27 presidential primary election, the White House announced Tuesday.

Harris is headed to Grand Rapids on Feb. 22 as part of her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, during which she has rallied female voters and criticized Republicans as extremists for trying to ban or restrict abortions. 

Harris has emerged as a leading voice at the White House on abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. Michigan would be the fourth stop of her tour after visits to Wisconsin, California and Georgia.

In Michigan, the White House said Harris plans to highlight how organizers, advocates and elected leaders in states like Michigan have worked to guard reproductive rights. In November 2022, voters approved a ballot proposal to protect abortion rights in the state Constitution.

It will be Harris' fourth visit to Michigan as vice president. She was last in the state in January 2023 for a moderated conversation about climate at the University of Michigan with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the state's former governor.

The Harris trip falls five days before the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan and several days after former President Donald Trump is scheduled to rally supporters in Waterford Township.

President Joe Biden and Harris are competing for Democratic votes against U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and self-help guru Marianne Williamson, who ended her White House bid last week but remains on the Michigan ballot.

Arab American activists are organizing a campaign to urge thousands of Michigan voters to cast "uncommitted" votes in the Democratic primary to register their discontent with President Joe Biden for not heeding calls within the party for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Harris' trip will occur during early, in-person voting at designated polling precincts across the state

Biden defeated Trump in Michigan by 3 percentage points in 2020, or about 154,000 votes.

Earlier this month, Biden made his first campaign stop in Michigan of the year, visiting restaurant in Harper Woods and Warren and speaking to supporters at a United Auto Workers hall in Warren.

mburke@detroitnews.com

Staff Writer Craig Mauger contributed.