Politics

Whitmer Wavers on 2028 Presidential Run

Has Whitmer lost her fighting spirit or do current polling numbers make a potential run pointless?

Published MAY 30

Story

Above: Gretchen Whitmer speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 4. Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday at the Mackinac Policy Conference that she would not seek the presidency in 2028, then walked back the statement hours later, saying "never say never" and that she had "nothing to announce."
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Politico
Whitmer, who is term-limited and will leave office later this year, said she consulted former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former House Speaker Paul Ryan about transitioning out of public office.
The Hill
Conservative Brief
Whitmer was on President Joe Biden's vice-presidential shortlist in 2020 and delivered the Democratic response to then-President Donald Trump's State of the Union address that year. She also spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
CBS News
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An Emerson College Polling survey released on Thursday placed Buttigieg first among potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates at 18%, followed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 16% and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, at 11%.
The Hill
Time

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Whether she's running or not, Whitmer seems to have traded in her fighting spirit for a seat at Trump's table, and it's not going over well with many in her base. After a viral photo of her hiding behind folders in the Oval Office, Democrats across Michigan are asking what happened to "Big Gretch," the governor who once put Trump's insults on a T-shirt. Choosing collaboration over confrontation largely isn't working and appears to be a sign she's worn out and ready to step back.

The New York Times

Atlantic

Narrative B

Whitmer's seeming exit from the 2028 race isn't really a shock, as the polling numbers were making her path nearly impossible anyways. Multiple surveys had her struggling at 0 to 4% among Democratic primary voters, well behind figures like Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom and AOC. With a crowded field of stronger contenders already pulling ahead, stepping aside now makes sense. Why put yourself through the agony of a run for nothing?

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