Garlin Gilchrist: Media Q&A at Detroit business luncheon

So, what is closely on the campaign trail in your race? I'm sorry to hear that. Well, no, I'm plugged in, but I haven't known where you've gone, though, and where is this fall in terms of where you've been, where you've been going? Well, I've continued the trend that I started eight years ago. I've been to all 83 counties in Michigan more than three times since I've been lieutenant governor. I've been all over the state of Michigan as the candidate for secretary of state because this is an office that serves everyone all over Michigan, has a presence in all those counties, our 131 branch offices, my job is always going to be to go where the people are. And so I've been really energized in this campaign by hearing energy about how much people care about protecting their privacy, protecting their ability to cast ballots in the way that they choose. I know that I'm a secretary of state that's going to protect both of those things. And that stands in pretty stark contrast to my opponent, who has stood by when the president threatened mail-in voting has placated election deniers time and time again, including the ultimate election denial by bringing in a January 6th insurrectionist to oversee the recruiting of poll workers. That's not somebody the people of Michigan are going to trust to make sure that their will is reflected in our elections, but I'm someone they will trust. So the story's been, I'm excited about that and getting that message all over Michigan. How do you gauge the threat some see in voting integrity and the continued questioning of it by some and whether or not this election, some outright fear if things are close or there could be some shenanigans, for lack of a better word, after the election. I mean, do you hold credence in any of that? Do you fear any of that? So several things. First and foremost, Michigan elections have been under extreme pressure since Trump started this whole election denial movement more than 10 years ago. And even in the face of that pressure, we have had safe, secure, and accurate election results that have stood up to the scrutiny of lawsuits, stood up to the scrutiny of audits, stood up to the scrutiny of a deep-dive investigation from the Republican-led Elections Committee in 2021. I have confidence in the people who run our elections at the local level in Michigan, and they know that they'll have a partner in me to stand with them because these threats, these conspiracy theories festering, coming from the top down, that is what has created the intimidation that they see and the pressure that they feel. So I am looking forward to continuing to serve with them to make sure that they know that they have a friend and a protector in me as Secretary of State. When it comes to what's happening here in 2026, we've been preparing for more than a year and a half for all the scenarios that could come forward up to Election Day as well as after Election Day, especially between when the ballots close and when this election is ultimately certified. We've seen Trump try to put pressure on that process specifically. Remember, he called the Republicans on the Wayne County Board of Canvass, called the Republican State Board of Canvass, like that unacceptable pressure because he seems to neglect the fact that the people of Michigan, the Constitution says that we run our elections, not him, not the federal government. We've been preparing for more than a year and a half for these scenarios, and frankly, it's sad that the federal government is not our partner in that preparation. They are, for the first time, our adversary. Usually, we're working with them to protect against hackers from Iran or Russia or China, but instead, we're worried about them being our opposition to making sure that the will of the people of Michigan is reflected. So we're ready for these scenarios, and we're going to be ready to ask you what we need to. I'll see a bi-question for you here. you've run for office statewide in 2018-2022 you were a major surrogate for Kamala Harris in 2024 do you get the sense that the environment is better for Democrats this year than some of those past years what's your read on that? I do think that this is a good environment but that didn't just happen we have a good environment because I think people are very clear about where their pain is coming from when it comes to their costs the increased cost of gas and health care and child care that's coming because of the president's failed policies and how they harm people the environment is also going in our direction because of the work that we've done we are engaging people going to communities i talked about the fact that i go everywhere because i need to talk to people everywhere and understand what's important to them and they see me showing up and see that as a good thing and they know that that's what they want from their leadership so i think that we are we are looking to create that kind of energy and then make sure that it is it goes all the way through november 3rd so that people show up cast those ballots with confidence and know that democrats are going to be ones that are going to fight for them to hold this president accountable, to protect their privacy, to make sure we have free and fair elections in 2027, 2028, and beyond. So yeah, I would much rather be us than them, because we're on the side of where people are. Do you get the sense it's better than 2018 for Dems? Or how would you compare it? I think that, I mean, the threats are very different. The pressures on our people are very different. The cost pressures are different. So I think that creates a different kind of energy. But I don't think it's about whether or not we're recreating 2018. But the energy in this moment is one that I think Democrats are ready to respond to. They're not running for Senate, but I am interested if some say there's an Achilles heel, if there is one for Abdul El-Sayed, it's unifying the Democratic Party. What's your thoughts on that in regard to a rough race with Haley Stevens in August? Is there an issue there for Democrats as a whole? Well, you've mentioned one of his supporters, which is Haley Stevens, looking to work to make sure people do the right thing here and don't send Mike Rogers to Washington to rubber stamp everything that Donald Trump's going to want out of a United States senator. I think Abdul's been doing the work across the state of Michigan. He's in the Upper Peninsula right now, rallying record people showing up to make sure that they know what they need to do to plug in to this victory that I think we're going to secure here. I've been doing work across communities in Michigan, including in black communities, making sure folks know what's at stake, why I support Abdul and why I'm asking them to support him as well. I think we're going to see unity and we're going to see power out of this entire Democratic team. We have people at every level, for every position, who are going to fight for working people, who are going to deliver. I'm going to protect privacy. He's going to show up for us in Washington. And that's the kind of team we need for the people of Michigan right now. Latest polls show a more percentage than any previous election, people who are still undecided this close to Election Day. What is your message to undecided voters who just turned up to figure in this race right now? Your Secretary of State needs to protect your privacy. Look, you have to give the Secretary of State a lot of information in order for us to serve you. It knows more about the people of Michigan than any other state department or agency. I'm going to protect that privacy as the only software developer elected statewide in this country. I know how to protect data better than anybody else. We'll stop Trump from getting it in court. We'll stop big tech from getting their hands on that information and feed it to products without their permission or data models without your consent or through data centers you don't want in your community. My opponent willingly gave over private data from Macomb County residents and voters to Trump before he even asked for it because he will rubber stamp and give the president whatever he wants but i'll protect the people of michigan that's why we are out here aggressively with a message protecting your privacy respecting your voting rights making sure that you have a kind of secretary of state who will respond to you and not washington that's what i'm asking folks to vote for by voting for garland gilchrist on november 3rd i was talking to clerk Polini yesterday and he was making some comments about he's willing to help the democratic party administer the vote at their next convention. I know so many was talking about, is there any role for the Secretary of State of getting involved in party convention vote counting? No, and that betrays his lack of understanding of what his responsibility would be as Secretary of State. All right, thanks, y'all.