Former President Barack Obama quipped about Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon's past role in a horror film while campaigning in the key rust belt state on Saturday.
Ahead of the midterms, Democrats recruited Obama—one of the most popular people in the party—to campaign for candidates in battleground states such as Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin in hopes of drawing Democratic voters to the polls. On Saturday, he delivered a speech in support of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, first elected in 2018 and facing a tight election.
During the rally in Detroit, he compared Whitmer and Dixon by reading two headlines from The Detroit News—one of which refers to Trump-backed Dixon's character in a 2009 horror film being eaten by zombies.
"I'm going to read you two headlines. Both from The Detroit News. One says 'Whitmer signs order aimed at lowering insulin costs in Michigan.' These are actual headlines," he said. "Second headline. 'Michigan governor hopeful Tudor Dixon eaten by zombies in gory horror film.' I don't actually have anything else to say. It's up to you folks—whoever you think is the better choice."
Obama: "I'm going to read you 2 headlines, both from the Detroit News. One says, 'Whitmer signs order aimed at lowering insulin costs in Michigan.' The 2nd headline: 'Michigan hopeful Tudor Dixon eaten by zombies in gory horror film.' I don't actually have anything else to say" pic.twitter.com/VHNSQyMX6S
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2022
According to the news outlet Bridge Michigan, Dixon previously acted in several films, including in the horror film Buddy BeBop vs the Living Dead. In that film, her character was eaten by a zombie. Democrats have attacked Dixon for acting in this and other films, which they said involve "gore and other actors in sexual scenes," trying to counter Dixon's claim that schools provide students "sexually explicit materials."
Obama also joked that the film's plot was "more believable" than the GOP's unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, which Dixon has repeated in the past.
"I will say—the storyline in the zombie film is probably more believable than what Governor Whitmer's opponents think what happened in the last election," the former president said.
Dixon has dismissed criticism about these films, saying they were made for adults, not children.
"They're bringing up movies that were made—obviously—for adults," she said, according to Bridge Michigan. "These are not movies that are pornographic in any way."
In a statement, Dixon told Newsweek on Saturday that Whitmer refuses "to say that pornographic materials should not be in our schools for children."
"Gretchen Whitmer is panicking because she's been exposed as a failed governor and is completely unable to defend her record. Not even this last minute fly in from Obama can erase all the lies and broken promises she's told the Michigan people," she said.
What Polls Say About Michigan's Governor Race
With less than two weeks until the midterm elections, Whitmer is seen as having a slight lead over Dixon in the swing state narrowly won by President Joe Biden in 2020. Whitmer built a national profile during the COVID-19 pandemic, with her response to the virus being hailed by Democrats, but attacked by Republicans.
A Cygnal poll conducted from October 23 to 27 among 1,822 likely voters found Whitmer leading by about 7 percentage points, winning 51 percent of respondents' support compared to Dixon's 46 percent.
An October 12 to 14 Emerson College poll among 580 likely voters found Whitmer leading by 5 points, winning 49 percent of support compared to Dixon's 44 percent.
Abortion has become one of the top issues in the contentious race, with Whitmer pledging to support reproductive rights. Dixon, however, has opposed abortion rights even in cases of rape. Meanwhile, Republicans have knocked Whitmer for her COVID-19 policies, which they say slowed Michigan's economy.
While Obama turned out to support Whitmer, Dixon has received support from former President Donald Trump, who endorsed her campaign during the GOP primary. Trump—who narrowly won Michigan by 0.3 points in 2016 before losing the state in 2020—held a rally for Dixon earlier this month.
Obama won Michigan by 16 points in 2008 and nearly 10 points in 2012. In 2020, Biden won the state by about 3 points.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
