Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) launched a new Substack blog on Monday to reflect on the current state of American politics and offer hope to her party ahead of the midterm elections this year.
In her first blog post in a newly launched Substack, she celebrated her bipartisan achievements since she took office as a state lawmaker in Michigan 25 years ago. She played a significant role in lobbying her colleagues to pass a Medicaid expansion law, called the Healthy Michigan Plan, in 2013 under then-Gov. Rick Snyder.
Some of her Democratic peers were hesitant to pass the bill because they “didn’t want to hand the other team the win,” she said, but she didn’t want to let the partisan divide get in the way.
“Over one million Michiganders have received health care coverage because we did the right thing instead of playing for a scoreboard that doesn’t actually exist,” she wrote.
Before becoming governor in 2019, Whitmer served in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015 and the Michigan House from 2001 to 2006. She entered politics after an internship at the Michigan State Capitol, following her father’s recommendation. She initially planned to become a sports broadcaster.
Whitmer said she was raised in a “bipartisan household,” which is why she’s committed to bringing together both sides of the aisle on common issues. She explained this isn’t being done at the national level, with President Donald Trump in power.
That is why she’s setting herself up to help the Democratic Party in its quest to win big in the 2026 elections.
“I’m not on the ballot this year, but I will be working hard to elect a strong bench of candidates in 2026 across the country who are ready to stop the chaos and get stuff done,” she said.
“Michigan is one of the toughest states to win, and I’m proud that we won statewide twice by double digits. That wasn’t dumb luck,” she added, referencing her election wins as governor. “We went to all 83 counties during both of my campaigns. We spent time in the reddest parts of the state where Democrats typically didn’t bother showing up, and we stayed focused on the kitchen-table issues without compromising our values. I talked so much about ‘fixing the damn roads’ that people were calling me ‘that roads lady’ long before anyone was calling me ‘that woman from Michigan.’”
Whitmer’s second and final term ends in January 2027. She is also the vice chairwoman for the Democratic Governors Association through the 2026 election cycle before she leaves office.
The governor revealed her focus will be on helping elect Democrats in 36 gubernatorial races this November. Additionally, she will be recruiting and training future candidates across the nation. Her team has already recruited nearly 4,000 people to run for office.
“So if I can offer one final thought, it’s this. Don’t check out. Don’t let your anger become apathy. Don’t convince yourself that things can’t get better,” she wrote toward the end of her blog post. “I’ve been in more schools, hospitals, factories, and living rooms than I can count, and I have seen time and time again that we are not as divided as our politics. We will find a way forward, together.”
MICHIGAN’S OVERLOOKED STATE SENATE SPECIAL ELECTION COULD BECOME AN EARLY BELLWETHER FOR 2026
As of now, Whitmer doesn’t intend to run for the presidency in 2028. She has expressed uncertainty about a possible White House bid, although she hasn’t ruled out the possibility. Still, she has said she’s satisfied with assuming a behind-the-scenes role in assisting a Democratic presidential nominee.
“I don’t know if I need to be the main character in the next chapter, but I want to have a hand in writing it,” she said last fall. “And I think I’ve got an important vantage point as the governor of an important swing state.”
Whitmer also opted out of the running for Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in 2024, saying she would be more valuable running the campaign behind the scenes.