Michigan state Democratic Rep. Karen Whitsett announced she is stepping away from political office, saying her Christian faith no longer aligns with today’s Democratic Party after years of clashes over abortion, transgender issues and party leadership.
The Detroit-area Democrat is calling the choice to walk away a “spiritual decision.”
In a recent interview with Fox News, Whitsett said she could no longer support the Democratic Party. Over the past four years, she found herself increasingly at odds with party leaders for pushing policies she felt were incompatible with her beliefs.
“I don’t understand how ‘Christian’ and ‘Bible’ go together [with] ‘Democratic Party,’” she added.
“What I’ve seen over these last four years is nothing that I’ve ever seen before, nothing that I ever thought would happen before.”
“For me, it is impossible to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ while remaining a member of the Democratic Party as it exists today. I cannot reconcile that platform with Scripture,” Whitsett also recently told local outlet Click on Detroit.
“I don’t have a heaven or hell to put anyone in. Only God does. But I do have God’s unwavering Word to stand on, and I can no longer compromise it to fit a party platform or to please people,” she continued.
In her interview, Whitsett said she repeatedly warned party leadership not to force her hand on issues including abortion and LGBTQ policies.
“I just sincerely kept asking, please do not back me into a corner. Please do not back me into a corner. Please do not keep pushing LGBTQ agenda. Please do not keep pushing the abortion agenda,” Whitsett said.
“I said, ‘You’re going to keep pushing me, you’re going to back me into a corner, and I’m going to have to stand my ground, and you’re not going to like it,'” Whitsett explained.
In 2023, Whitsett faced backlash from her fellow Michigan Democrats after declining to support legislation that would have lifted restrictions on using state Medicaid funds to cover most abortions.
She said her opposition to abortion laws without safeguards or term limits and transgender policies stemmed directly from her Christian faith.
“I don’t want to go to hell,” she added.
“That’s just the bottom line. And right now, people are on that wide path, and you’re compromising, and it’s a very slippery slope.”
Whitsett is so broken with the Democratic Party, she said she can’t see herself voting for a Democratic candidate in the future.
“I cannot support the Democratic Party,” she said, adding that her goal is to raise awareness about what the party supports and encourage voters to choose candidates that reflect their values.
“I want people to think for themselves and right now they’re not doing that. They’re just voting straight Democrat,” she added.
Michigan House Democratic Rep. and former House Speaker Joe Tate, who recently announced he is not seeking re-election, has yet to comment on Whitsett’s resignation.
As for her next move, Whitsett says she would like to partner with the Trump administration on projects focused on Black families, homeownership and getting people off public assistance.
Whitsett said she has experience terminating a pregnancy and being on welfare herself, so she knows the struggles some people in her community face, but believes abortion and welfare have only hurt the Black community long-term.
“So these are things I would really like to be able to assist with, because I don’t think it should be taken for granted that you’re just going to get assistance and that you are going to make a living off of it,” Whitsett said.