Mallory McMorrow Slams GOP For ‘Groomer’ Smear

Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic state senator in Michigan, delivered an epic takedown of a GOP colleague – Sen. Lana Theis – on Tuesday that continues to go viral. McMorrow’s speech clapped back against Republicans pushing laws stigmatizing gay and trans children and families. It was a searing moral defense of treating them respectfully. “I am a straight, white, Christian, married, suburban mom” who wants “every kid to feel seen, heard and supported — not marginalized and targeted because they are not straight, white and Christian,” she said. From the Washington Post:

The 35-year-old McMorrow’s ire was triggered by a Republican colleague’s fundraising pitch describing McMorrow as a “groomer.”

You’ll note that McMorrow didn’t sound defensive or offer mealy-mouthed, hairsplitting fact-checks. She didn’t capitulate to the Republican framing of these matters for a second.

Instead, McMorrow laid bare her deepest convictions and explained how they lead her to her positions on gay and trans rights, and why basic human decency demands them. Importantly, she made this about what Republicans are doing.

Be sure to watch McMorrow’s full response:

I sat on it for a while wondering why me?

Then I realized…

I’m the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme. Because you can’t claim that you’re targeting marginalized kids in the name of “parental rights” if another parent is standing up and saying no.

— Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) April 19, 2022

Related: ‘Don’t Say Gay’ – How The ‘New Right’ Is Outlawing LGBTQ Progress

More from the Detroit Free Press:

Theis, who is in the midst of an increasingly fierce primary race, recently sent out a campaign fundraising email that called out McMorrow by name. Although they represent different areas of the state and have never run against each other, Theis broadly attacked McMorrow with egregious allegations.

“These are the people we are up against. Progressive social media trolls like Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Snowflake) who are outraged they can’t teach can’t groom and sexualize kindergartners or that 8-year-olds are responsible for slavery,” the material states.

A “groomer” is someone who establishes a connection with a child in an effort to ultimately exploit or physically abuse that child.

Thanks to Michigan’s Senator Mallory McMorrow, a “Have you no sense of decency?” moment.

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) April 20, 2022

Why Mallory McMorrow provides a blueprint for Democrats, by @MSignorile https://t.co/MK0dzql3hF

— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) April 21, 2022

Politico Playbook: Over the last 24 hours, Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow has raised more than $150,000 from more than 3,500 donors — an absolutely enormous single-day sum for a state legislative race — after this video went viral. https://t.co/z9wRNQABws

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 20, 2022