Rebekah Lynn Warren (born November 25, 1971) is a former American
Democratic legislator from
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...
, who represented the
55th District of the
Michigan House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 ...
from January 1, 2019 until January 1, 2021. She was elected to this position on November 6, 2018, beating Republican opponent Bob Baird, 74% to 26%. Previously, she served two terms as State Representative for
Michigan's 53rd District, from 2007 to 2010, and two terms in the Michigan Senate, from 2010 to 2018. She was arrested for drunk driving and fleeing police in a motor vehicle on December 26, 2019.
Background
Warren was raised in
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso is the largest city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,194 at the 2010 census. The city is mostly surrounded by Owosso Township on its west, but the two are administered autonomously. The city wa ...
, and attended the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, majoring in political science. In 1993 she joined the staff of State Representative Mary Schroer of Ann Arbor, Michigan and later that of State Representative Hubert Price of
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac ( ') is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 61,606. A northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Pontiac is about northwest of Detroit.
Founde ...
. From 1999 to 2006 she was the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Michigan, the state affiliate of
NARAL Pro-Choice America
NARAL Pro-Choice America, commonly known as simply NARAL ( ), is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization in the United States that engages in lobbying, political action, and advocacy efforts to oppose restrictions on abortion, to expand access to ...
.
House of Representatives
She was elected to a two-year term in the
Michigan House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 ...
in 2006 and was subsequently reelected in 2008. Warren chaired the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee since and sat on the Judiciary Committee, the Tax Policy Committee, and the Oversight and Investigations Committee. She also co-chaired the Michigan BioTech Caucus with Republican Senator
Randy Richardville
Randall "Randy" Richardville (born August 15, 1959) is a Michigan Republican, who served as Majority Leader of the Michigan State Senate until his tenure ended January 1, 2015 due to term limits. He was state senator for the 17th district, which ...
.
Political views
Warren is a
progressive
Progressive may refer to:
Politics
* Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform
** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context
* Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
Democrat, subscribing to tenets of social equity, environmental conservation and liberal fiscal policies.
Women's rights
Warren is an ardent supporter of gender equity and has championed abortion rights. In 2005 she was recognized for her leadership by the
National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC), or the Caucus, describes itself as a multi-partisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices at all ...
of Michigan with their annual Millie Award. NOW of Michigan named her "Legislator of the Year" in 2009.
She has sponsored or cosponsored legislation to prevent pay discrimination, provide emergency contraception, extend family medical leave to adopting parents, and provide support and protections for sexual assault survivors.
Environmental protection
Environmental issues topped Warren's agenda in the state legislature in 2007–2008. She championed the passage of the
Great Lakes Compact
The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact is a legally binding interstate compact among the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The compact details how the ...
and associated legislation to govern withdrawals of the state's groundwater. The
Center for Michigan touted the package as "the most important accomplishment to come out of the Michigan legislature this year."
Education
Warren and mother-in-law
Alma Wheeler Smith introduced legislation in 2009 to provide free college tuition for Michigan residents by raising the state income tax.
2010 State Senate race
In 2010, Warren competed with fellow Democrat
Pam Byrnes
Pam Byrnes (born June 25, 1947) is a former Democratic Party (United States), Democratic State Representative in the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the Michigan's 52nd House of Representatives district, 52nd District, whic ...
for the Democratic nomination for the
18th
18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19.
In mathematics
* Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...
seat to succeed
Liz Brater. Five days before the primary election, an article in a Michigan newspaper revealed that ads for Byrnes and attacking Warren were financed by The Great Lakes Education Project, a Political Action Committee (PAC) funded in part by Republicans Dick and
Betsy DeVos
Elisabeth Dee DeVos ( ; ' Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist, and former government official who served as the 11th United States secretary of education from 2017 to 2021. DeVos is known for her support for s ...
. The Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP) lobbies for choice, accountability and quality in education and assists candidates that support education reform. Warren defeated Byrnes in the primary election with 55.7% of the vote.
Personal life
Until 2017, Warren was married to
Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 372,258. The county seat is Ann Arbor. The county was authorized by legislation in 1822 and organized as a county in 1826.
Washtenaw ...
Commissioner Conan Smith
and was the daughter-in-law of
Alma Wheeler Smith.
DUI arrest
On the evening of December 26, 2019, Warren was arrested in Auburn Hills, MI, on suspicion of DUI. Police had received several calls in relation to an apparently impaired driver at approximately 11 p.m. Police
dashcam
A dashboard camera or simply dashcam, also known as car digital video recorder (car DVR), driving recorder, or event data recorder (EDR), is an onboard camera that continuously records the view through a vehicle's front windscreen and sometimes ...
footage showed Warren's Jeep driving erratically and colliding with the right wall of northbound I-75 before continuing on. When finally stopped, Warren told police she was on her way home to Ann Arbor. She also told the arresting officer that she had consumed 2-3 glasses of wine "just a minute ago" and subsequently failed a field sobriety test administered at the scene.
Warren refused to take a
breathalyzer
A breathalyzer or breathalyser (a portmanteau of ''breath'' and ''analyzer/analyser'') is a device for estimating blood alcohol content (BAC), or to detect viruses or diseases from a breath sample.
The name is a genericized trademark of the Br ...
test and was taken by police to McLaren Hospital in Pontiac where testing showed her blood alcohol level was .21, almost triple the legal limit.
Police dashcam footage showed Warren telling police at the scene "You understand there's going to be a moment where we're both going to be on TV", adding "I'm elected. I'm a senator. This is going to be the most famous arrest you've ever made."
On February 18, 2020, Warren pled guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. On May 27, 2020, Warren was sentenced to one year of probation and 10 days of community service.
She did not seek re-election in the 2020 election, and was succeeded by fellow Democrat
Felicia Brabec
Felicia Brabec (born 1974) is an American politician serving as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 55th district. Elected in 2020, she assumed office on January 1, 2021.
Early life and education
Brabec was born around ...
.
Elections
References
External links
Michigan Senate - Rebekah WarrenOfficial Michigan Senate Site
Rebekah Warren for State Representative Official Campaign Site
Project Vote Smart - Senator Rebekah Warren (MI)profile
Michigan Liberal - HD053Michigan Democratic Party*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Warren, Rebekah L.
1971 births
Living people
Members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Politicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan
People from Owosso, Michigan
University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni
Women state legislators in Michigan
Michigan state senators
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians