Democrats in Michigan have urged Governor Gretchen Whitmer to consider running for president in 2024 due to concerns about President Joe Biden, according to a new report by Politico’s Jonathan Martin.
Despite Whitmer previously ruling out a White House bid, state lawmakers and colleagues from other states, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, have encouraged her to reconsider, citing the president’s low approval ratings. Livonia Mayor Maureen Brosnan expressed support for Whitmer, stating that she would make a great president.
Recent surveys conducted by The Economist/YouGov indicate that President Biden’s approval rating among registered voters stands at 40%. Ann Arbor city councilor Jen Eyer referred to Whitmer as “that woman from Michigan” and expressed the belief that she would be a strong contender against Trump.
While many state Democrats have voiced their support for a Whitmer presidential run, the governor herself has dismissed such aspirations. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist stated that Whitmer will support Biden in 2024 and emphasized the importance of appreciating and supporting current leadership.
In June, Whitmer launched a federal political action committee called Fight Like Hell PAC to support Biden and other Democratic candidates in 2024. She has consistently backed the president and praised his track record in delivering results, disregarding concerns about his age in a potential reelection bid.
Today I’m launching Fight Like Hell PAC to support candidates who fight like hell for working people and their fundamental freedoms.
It’s time to build on our momentum and support candidates who will deliver real, meaningful change.
Join us: https://t.co/1K5E6K6TTW pic.twitter.com/6qZxqBj94a
— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) June 12, 2023
The RealClearPolitics (RCP) average for the 2024 national Democratic primary, based on polls conducted between June 5 and June 26, shows Biden leading by approximately 50 points, followed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson at 14.4% and 5.7% respectively.
Before becoming governor, Whitmer served in both chambers of the state legislature and held the position of state Senate minority leader in 2011, according to Ballotpedia. In 2018, she defeated Republican candidate Bill Schuette, who was then the Michigan Attorney General, with 53.3% of the vote. She comfortably won reelection in 2022 against GOP nominee Tudor Dixon.
Whitmer faced significant criticism for her state lockdown policies, particularly when she advised against travel while she herself flew to Florida on her private jet. The governor also prohibited the sale of gardening seeds and supplies, deeming them “not necessary.”
Peter Lucido, a Macomb County prosecutor, even claimed in March 2021 that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could “possibly face charges for her early handling of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities” during the pandemic, although she was never charged for official misconduct.
