Jocelyn Benson Joins Healthcare Workers, Patients in Marquette, Shares Plans to Expand Healthcare Access in Upper Peninsula

Today, Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for Governor Jocelyn Benson held a press conference alongside healthcare workers in Marquette at the site of the former Marquette Planned Parenthood — one of the four clinics forced to close their doors last year due to Republican-backed cuts to healthcare. Jocelyn discussed her plans to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare and tackle the growing physician shortage and healthcare deserts across the Upper Peninsula. 

Across the state, Michiganders are losing access to essential, life-saving care thanks to the funding cuts John James voted for. Michigan needs a governor with a plan to ensure that nobody falls through the cracks and every Michigander can afford to see the doctor. While James has repeatedly voted against the interests of Michiganders, Jocelyn has declared healthcare the “defining issue” of 2026 and was the first candidate to release a comprehensive plan to ensure all Michiganders will have access to the care they deserve. 

“Republican-backed cuts to healthcare forced this office to close in April of last year. As a result, thousands across the Upper Peninsula lost access to essential, preventative, reproductive, and life saving care,” said former physician's assistant and candidate for State Representative Anna Rink. “It was these devastating cuts to care that inspired me to run as State Representative and that’s why I’m here to support Jocelyn Benson today — because Yoopers deserve better…We definitely deserve better than Jocelyn’s opponent, John James, who led the charge on the largest Medicaid cuts in history, forcing nearly 500,000 Michiganders, including children and seniors in nursing homes, to lose their coverage.”

“It's not just about whether you have insurance; it's whether you can find a doctor, whether you can afford the care, and whether you can physically get there. That's why I support Jocelyn's plan to bring care directly to our communities by investing in the mobile health centers that provide low or no cost preventative services to rural and underserved areas,” said Marquette resident Jackie Lefebvre. “We shouldn't have to drive across the state just to get basic health care, and we need a governor who will actually protect people with pre-existing conditions. John James is the opposite of that.”

“I believe healthcare is about much more than what happens when you're sick. It's about whether you can see a doctor for an annual exam, whether you can receive compassionate care when you experience a miscarriage, and whether you can get that care here in your own community,” said Jocelyn Benson. “That’s why, as governor, I will work to make sure every Michigander can access quality, affordable healthcare in every zip code in this state. But my opponent, John James, cannot say the same. His actions speak for themselves: he voted three times to kick Michiganders off their health care, and helped Donald Trump pass the largest Medicaid cut in American history.”

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