FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
March 18, 2026
Contact: Levi Teitel, levi@progressmichigan.org
Ruth Johnson is Lying About the SAVE Act
State senator’s warmup speech at VP Vance’s rally in Auburn Hills falls flat with falsehoods about anti-voter proposals
MICHIGAN – In response to the speech that State Senator Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) gave today during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to an Auburn Hills manufacturing facility, Justin Mendoza, executive director of Progress Michigan, issued the following statement:
“If it wasn’t embarrassing enough for JD Vance to get booed in Auburn Hills for mentioning he’s an Ohio State fan, his rally featured multiple false or misleading claims about the state of the economy and the Trump administration’s track record. What’s most concerning is the fact that just before, State Senator Ruth Johnson laughed off concerns about the impact on married women if the SAVE Act is implemented.
“Here’s the truth: proponents of the SAVE Act are trying to deceive the public by claiming this bill is about voter ID when it’s actually about voter suppression. Michigan already has secure photo ID laws. Calling this a voter ID law is complete bullshit. The only thing the SAVE Act would do is wrap voters up in red tape.
“Many folks do not have readily available access to their birth certificates, including millions of women who do not have birth certificates with their current legal name. Even for passport verification, about six in ten Michiganders don’t have a passport. You need a birth certificate to be able to get a passport, creating additional costs and barriers for voters that will only prevent people from getting to the polls.
“It would be a big surprise if the SAVE Act can get 60 votes in the U.S. Senate. Yet still, Michiganders have to be vigilant about this attack on our voting freedoms with the Americans for Citizen Voting ballot initiative. Cut from the same cloth as the SAVE Act, it’s nothing more than a power grab meant to prevent people from participating in our democracy. Republicans are even saying the quiet part out loud, as Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on social media that this legislation is about influencing the outcome of the 2026 midterms.
“Michigan has made strides in the past decade to make our elections safer, more secure and accessible, and Senator Ruth Johnson actually played a big part in that. When she was Secretary of State, Johnson purchased the elections systems that we still use successfully. It’s a shame that instead of building on the progress our state has made with voting, she’s using her power to deprive millions of Michiganders from their voting rights.
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