Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) captured the nation’s attention when rumors swirled she could become Vice President Kamala Harris ’s running mate. These days, time is running out for the high-profile governor to fulfill the ambitious promises she made as a gubernatorial candidate.
Thursday evening, Whitmer called Harris "a total badass" during a highly coveted prime-time speaking slot at the DNC. She first burst onto the scene after her 2018 gubernatorial success in one of the country’s most populous states. Touting herself as a “nimble” person who moves forward “quickly,” the Michigan Democrat has yet to follow through on many of the commitments that won her the governor’s office, even as the clock ticks swiftly down to the end of her second and final term.
She railed against the Emergency Manager Act in July of 2018, decrying the legislation for taking away “self-governance” and making “decisions based solely on dollars and cents.” It was one of her top policy issues on the campaign trail at the time. Over six years later, the law has yet to be repealed, and Democratic leaders in the state are still asking for her help to overturn the controversial measure.
“Obviously, I would welcome the governor’s support,” Democratic state House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash told ProPublica this month.
A $15 minimum wage was another issue Whitmer often discussed on the campaign trail, including it as one of eight issue papers that detailed her broad policy vision for the state.
Today, the minimum wage sits at just $10.33 in Michigan.
“Her last two years have just been so consumed by the pent-up priorities of 40 years for Democrats that a lot of those like first-term promises took a back seat,” Susan Demas, editor in chief of Michigan Advance and a longtime political columnist, told the outlet.
In July, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled against a tactic Republicans in the state legislature have used to water down increases in the minimum wage. While state leaders are looking at additional legislative intervention this fall to stave off steep wage increases and sick leave expansions for the hospitality industry, Whitmer hasn’t put her foot down on either side of the aisle.
"We're all examining the court's decision," Whitmer said recently. "We want to make sure we understand what the ramifications are. That work is being done right now. I think it's premature to say what kind of legislative fix would be necessary if there is one that's necessary."
Transparency in state government was another policy Whitmer harped on in 2018. She held special favor for expanding the Freedom of Information Act to ensure citizens could hold Michigan authorities accountable.
“The fact that we just found out the press person during the Flint water crisis that everyone thought had been fired is still on the state dime doing trainings for public relations — I mean, that’s ludicrous. And the fact that we’re just finding out tells you I think how difficult it is to really understand and ask questions and scrutinize what’s happening,” Whitmer told Detroit Public Radio on the campaign trail in 2018.
She offered up a solution, saying as governor, she could unilaterally expand FOIA to “ensure that there is real notice and real searchable capabilities online.”
“The public and the press need tools so that they can get information,” Whitmer declared. “We deserve to know.”
While the governor claimed she could voluntarily open up the FOIA, she has yet to do so. “To me, that is just an unforced error, the height of hypocrisy,” said Abby Mitch, executive director of Michigan Rising Action, a right-leaning watchdog organization.
And then, there are those troublesome Michigan roads, rated 40th nationally and 10th in an 11-state peer group, according to the Citizens Research Council.
“Fix the damn roads,” was one pledge Whitmer made to Michigan voters. Six years later the promise is only partially fulfilled.
Whitmer initially supported instituting a gas tax to fund infrastructure improvements. Once Republicans killed that proposal, she pivoted to using $3.5 billion in state bonds to help rebuild roads.
While spending has nearly doubled on roads during the Whitmer administration, state leaders say improvements are lacking. At the onset of Whitmer’s debut in the governor’s office, the Michigan section of the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state’s roads a D-. By 2023, it had improved only to a D.
There are other pledges Whitmer has proudly championed into law. Fighting to expand abortion rights and creating tuition-free community college programs are among them. Despite facing heavy criticism from Republicans over her strict governance during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan governor was reelected by a wider margin in 2022 than in her initial win.
“Whitmer has overcome obstacles to keep many of her campaign promises. But there are more promises to keep,” Mark Brewer, former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, summed up Whitmer’s political battles to ProPublica in an email.
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With Whitmer spending more time than ever on the national stage and campaigning across her battleground state to secure Election Day victories for her party, she'll likely have even less time to focus on her personal policy agenda.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Whitmer’s office for comment.
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