Search results
The governor of Michigan is the head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-elected to serve a second term in 2022. [3]
Gretchen Whitmer. Gretchen Esther Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2019 as the 49th governor of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015. Whitmer was born and raised in Michigan.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander focused on getting things done that will make a real difference in people’s lives. She has signed over 1,380 bipartisan bills and six balanced budgets. From cutting taxes for seniors and working families to put hundreds of dollars back in their pockets and ...
- Overview
- Early life and education
- State politics
- Governor of Michigan
- Personal life
Gretchen Whitmer (born August 23, 1971, East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.) American Democratic politician and lawyer who serves as governor of Michigan (2019– ). She previously was a member of the state’s House of Representatives (2001–06) and Senate (2006–15). In 2020 Whitmer was the target of a foiled kidnapping plot.
Whitmer is the eldest of three children. Her mother, Sherry Whitmer (née Hanna), served as the state’s assistant attorney general, and her father, Richard Whitmer, was an executive at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Gretchen Whitmer was 10 years old when her parents divorced, and she later lived with her mother and siblings in Grand Rapids, Mic...
In the 1990s Whitmer became increasingly active in politics, and in 2000 she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives; she assumed her seat in 2001. Five years later she won a special election to the state Senate. In 2011 she became the first woman to head a caucus in that chamber when she was elected Democratic minority leader. While in the legislature, Whitmer advocated for traditional Democratic policies, including gun control and workers’ rights. She also was a vocal supporter of abortion rights, and in 2013 she opposed a Republican-backed state law that barred health insurers from covering the procedure unless a separate rider was purchased for elective abortions. During debate on the bill, which she had earlier called “misogynistic,” Whitmer noted that it failed to make allowances for rape or incest victims. She then revealed that she had been sexually assaulted in college. Despite her efforts, the legislation passed.
Due to term limits, Whitmer did not run for reelection in 2014, and she left the Senate the following year. In 2015 she taught at MSU, and the following year she served as interim prosecutor for Ingham county. That post ended in December 2016, and the following month Whitmer announced that she was running for governor.
During her campaign, Whitmer called for job creation and more funding for education. She also focused on infrastructure and repeatedly pledged to “fix the damn roads.” Although liberal, Whitmer adopted a campaign platform that was more moderate than the other Democratic candidates’ platforms. She also expressed a willingness to compromise. That strategy proved popular with voters, as she won the party primary and went on to easily defeat the Republican nominee, Bill Schuette, in the 2018 general election. Whitmer was sworn into office in 2019. During her first year, she oversaw a bipartisan bill that lowered car insurance rates, and she became the first governor to announce a ban on the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes. However, her proposal to raise the gas tax in order to fund road improvements was rejected by Republicans.
Whitmer’s success in the Midwest—a onetime Democratic stronghold that had begun to favour Republicans—made her increasingly influential within the party, and her national profile grew. In February 2020 she delivered the Democratic response to Pres. Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. The following month COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Whitmer and other governors ordered the closure of various business, and mask mandates were instituted. She later complained that the Trump government was not offering enough help to the state, drawing the ire of the president, who was running for reelection that year. He derisively called her “Gretchen ‘Half’ Whitmer” and “that woman from Michigan.” Although Whitmer’s pandemic restrictions initially drew bipartisan support, opposition soon mounted, especially as the state’s economy struggled. In October 2020 it was announced that law enforcement had arrested a group of men who were plotting to kidnap Whitmer. She claimed that the scheme resulted from “the rhetoric coming out of Republican leadership.”
Exclusive academic rate for students! Save 67% on Britannica Premium.
Learn More
During the 2020 presidential election, Whitmer endorsed Joe Biden as the Democrats’ candidate, and he ultimately secured the nomination. She was under consideration as his running mate, but Biden selected Kamala Harris. Whitmer campaigned for the ticket, and Biden and Harris were victorious. In 2021 Biden appointed Whitmer a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
In 2022 Whitmer ran for a second term as governor. That year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973), which had established abortion as a constitutional right. Whitmer sought to keep the procedure legal in Michigan, and abortion became a major issue in her race against the Republican nominee, Tudor Dixon, a businesswoman endorsed by Trump. Although the political climate did not favour Whitmer—inflation and crime had become top concerns for voters, and Democrats were widely expected to struggle in the midterms—polls showed her with a lead over Dixon. Whitmer won the election in November. In addition, Democrats captured a majority in both chambers of the legislature. It was the first time in some 40 years that the party controlled Michigan.
Whitmer had two daughters with her first husband, Gary Shrewsbury, whom she later divorced. In 2011 Whitmer married Marc Mallory, a dentist. He had three children from a previous marriage.
The Governor of the State of Michigan is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Michigan. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two terms. From statehood until the election of 1966, governors were elected to two-year terms.
Jul 21, 2024 · Whitmer earns a $159,000 per year salary as governor, but had at least $2.4 million in 2023, according to a personal finance disclosure required under Michigan law. Nearly all of the money was ...
People also ask
Who is the current governor of Michigan?
Why does Michigan need a governor?
How many terms does a Michigan Governor have?
How long is a governor in Michigan?
Who was Michigan's first governor?
When does Michigan elect a governor?
Nov 8, 2022 · Contact. Personal Twitter. Gretchen Whitmer (Democratic Party) is the Governor of Michigan. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027. Whitmer (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Governor of Michigan. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Before being elected governor, Whitmer served ...
