Mallory McMorrow, a first-term Democratic state senator in Michigan, has become an unlikely star after a viral floor speech defending herself against accusations of wanting to 'groom' children. The 35-year-old mother of one delivered a four-minute, 40-second riposte that earned praise from President Joe Biden and was hailed as a model for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.
The controversy began when Republican Senator Lana Theis opened a session with a prayer that appeared to reference how schools address sexual orientation and critical race theory. McMorrow criticised the prayer on Twitter, prompting Theis to send a fundraising email accusing her of wanting to 'groom and sexualize kindergarteners'. The term 'grooming' has become a Republican buzzword linked to QAnon conspiracy theories.
In her speech, McMorrow identified herself as 'a straight, white, Christian, married, suburban mom' and rejected the notion that teaching about slavery or systemic racism makes children hate themselves. She argued that scapegoating people who are different does not solve real problems like poor infrastructure or high healthcare costs.
McMorrow, a former car designer, entered politics after seeing a video of schoolchildren chanting 'Build the wall!' at a polling place in 2016. She was elected in 2018 to represent a suburban Detroit district. Her speech has been viewed as a template for Democrats facing Republican attacks on education, with commentators calling her a 'role model for the midterms'.
