Last week, I was one of 8 Republican state representatives who voted “NO” on the nomination of Democrat State Representative Joe Tate to serve as Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. Today, I wanted to offer a brief explanation for my vote.

I take my duty to my conscience seriously, and as I saw it, I could not make an explicit endorsement of someone who, though the undoubted Leader of the new House majority, continually refuses to uphold the sanctity of unborn life.

For me, the right to life is paramount and is so fundamental to all other rights we enjoy as human beings that I could not be complicit in appointing to power a colleague whose agenda includes denying this fundamental right, as well as other rights, to so many unborn Michiganders. While I recognize that my decision was a break with House convention and that it carried certain, unfortunate political consequences, I felt that my constituents deserved a representative who was true to his conscience, even though doing so likely would not have changed the outcome.

My statement here is not intended as a critique of my fellow Republicans who voted in favor of Mr. Tate’s nomination. Nor was my vote in any way meant as a personal statement about Mr. Tate or my Democrat colleagues. I have a great deal of respect for him and for my colleagues, and I congratulate Mr. Tate on his historic election to the Speakership. I look forward to working together for the people of my district.