Even before President Joe Biden announced in late-July that he would not seek re-election in the November 2024 presidential election, there were rumors swirling about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the possibility of her occupying the White House in January 2025.
Once Biden affirmed his decision to step away from the campaign trail, the whispers became chants, as Whitmer’s supporters in Michigan and across the country urged her to make a push to become president. But she quickly put those questions to bed, declaring that she would not make a run for the presidency and that she wanted to finish the work she started here in Michigan.
As the campaign co-chair of Biden’s re-election campaign, Michigan’s 49th governor has switched her role and is now focused on getting Vice President and Biden-endorsed Kamala Harris elected as the nation’s first woman and first Black woman president.
“I’ve made a commitment to serve out my term here in Michigan. I’ve got two-and-a-half years left,” Whitmer said. “Having great partners like President Harris and Vice President Walz in (Washington) D.C. will be spectacular, as I want to get a number of things done before my last moments in office. That commitment I made to the people of Michigan is very important to me and I intend to keep it,” she said.
Whitmer continued to praise Vice President Harris’ selection of Walz as her running mate, acknowledging that the speculation surrounding Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro being Harris’ pick was exciting, but she knows the vice president is a sound decision maker and that she would’ve supported whomever she chose as her running mate.
“I can tell you there’s a lot of excitement. I think anyone who saw a little bit of the rally that they had yesterday in Philadelphia knows that the energy is real and we’re seeing people wanting to volunteer and making contributions and people who want to be a part of this new chapter that we are on the cusp of. It’s really exciting. We can’t lose sight of the fact that there’s a lot of hard work yet to do, but I do think that having a couple of happy warriors at the top of the ticket is a great thing,” Whitmer said.
“I know that of the group of people she was considering that she had a lot of great choices. I happen to be very close friends with Tim Walz. He is a wonderful human being. He is an incredible leader, and he is just an everyday guy too, which I think is really unique. He’s going to be a fantastic Vice President to President Harris, and I’m very excited about this ticket now and thrilled that we’re going to be seeing them so much here in Michigan. I was going to support whomever Vice President Harris picked, but I think that this is a great ticket, and I think they’ll really resonate here in Michigan.”
Speaking of Michigan, Whitmer talked about one of the state’s most important races, which concluded with the primary elections on Aug. 6. The U.S. Senate race between democratic primary winner Elissa Slotkin and political newcomer Hill Harper concluded with Slotkin taking nearly four-out-of-five votes cast.
She said this seat will play a pivotal role on a national scale, and that she’s hopeful that the people of Michigan will band tightly to get Slotkin elected against her November opponent, Mike Rogers, who won the republican primary.
“You know, I hope that at the conclusion of every primary, frankly, that people can come together. Hard-fought primaries can be challenging. I certainly have had my share of them over the years, and yet, at the end of the day, we’re a lot more alike on issues and values than the alternative. I commend everyone who is willing to throw their hat in a race – that’s not easy to do – and hope that we can find some common ground as we go into this crucial November 5 election,” Whitmer said.
“We know that this is a high-stake selection. Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat is going to be one that could be pivotal in Congress for deciding an agenda and I want to make sure that we elect President Harris, but also elect a U.S. Senator who’s going to work with her not try to undermine her agenda. And that’s why I’ll be supreme Elissa Slotkin.”
Whitmer, who will join Harris, Walz, and other officials at their Detroit rally tonight, said that in order for Harris to win Michigan in November, it won’t be magic. It’ll be the hard work of the people and her supporters in rallying people to the polls.
“It’s showing up, it’s doing the doors. It’s doing the groundwork that has to be done on the ground here. It’s making sure that people have the information they need to understand really what is at stake in this election, and it’s taking no one for granted,” Whitmer said.
“I know that Vice President Harris is someone who cares about every person. She’s going to set an agenda that gives everyone opportunity and she recognizes how. The state of Michigan is so critical. I anticipate we will see her and her running mate frequently here and we’ll be on the ground doing everything we can. I want to encourage anyone who wants to get involved to call up the campaign and volunteer every one of us can and really needs to play a role in this crucial moment.”
