Will Lawrence Confronts Resurfaced “Defund the Police” Tweets Amid Michigan Primary

Will Lawrence, a Democrat running for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, is confronting renewed attention to tweets he posted in 2020 and 2021 that advocated “defund the police” and suggested eliminating police officers. The posts resurfaced during the primary campaign, prompting Lawrence to distance himself from the earlier remarks while seeking the party’s nomination.

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The 2020 nationwide protests following George Floyd’s murder sparked a national conversation about policing. Many activists called for reallocating police funding, a stance Lawrence publicly endorsed in a 2020 tweet. A year later, amid rising crime concerns, he reiterated the position in a separate post, reflecting the broader progressive discourse of that period.

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Will Lawrence joins other progressive candidates such as Darializa Avila Chevalier and Graham Platner, who have similarly faced scrutiny over historic social-media content. All three are competing in the same Democratic primary, highlighting a pattern of candidates confronting past digital statements as part of their campaign narratives.

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In a recent interview with *Semafor*, Lawrence described the 2020 protests as “important criticisms of our criminal justice system” and expressed horror at George Floyd’s killing. He characterized his earlier tweets as “out of step with what I believe now,” emphasizing a shift in his policy perspective.

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Opponents within the Democratic field have raised the resurfaced tweets as evidence of inconsistency, arguing that Lawrence’s past advocacy conflicts with a law-and-order narrative gaining traction among voters. Party officials have reportedly urged candidates to clarify their positions, suggesting that the controversy could influence primary outcomes.

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• “defund the police.” — Will Lawrence, 2020 tweet

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• “seems like cops are bad at stopping crime, hey i’ve got an idea, let’s get rid of them and try something else.” — Will Lawrence, 2021 post

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• “The protests in 2020 raised important criticisms of our criminal justice system, and like millions of other Americans, I was horrified by the killing of George Floyd and inspired by the multiracial and multigenerational protest movement that followed from that.” — Will Lawrence, *Semafor* interview

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• “Those posts are out of step with what I believe now.” — Will Lawrence, *Semafor* interview

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The account relies on a single *Semafor* interview and does not include corroborating statements from campaign staff, opponents, or independent fact-checkers. No additional reporting on the impact of the tweets on voter sentiment is provided, leaving a gap in comprehensive assessment of the controversy’s electoral significance.

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The Democratic primary for Michigan’s 7th District will determine the party’s nominee, with Lawrence’s handling of his past social-media activity likely to remain a focal point. Voters and party leaders will assess whether his revised stance on policing aligns with constituent priorities as the campaign progresses.

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