While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has long demurred on the topic of her plans after 2028, when she will be term-limited out of the governor’s office, she offered another hint suggesting a run for the Oval Office may not be in the cards.
Heading into the 2024 election, Whitmer’s name was on many Democrats’ short list as a potential replacement nominee for former President Joe Biden or running mate for former Vice President Kamala Harris. While Whitmer served as a top adviser for both Biden and Harris’s campaigns, she has repeatedly maintained that her focus lies on finishing out her term.
During a conversation with Canadian journalist Steve Paikin following a Wednesday speech at the Empire Club of Canada, the question of Whitmer’s plans for 2028 once again came into the spotlight.
While it’s a big compliment that people are looking to her as a potential presidential nominee, Whitmer once again emphasized her focus on serving as governor, telling Paikin “I got a big job right now to stay focused on, and I’m going to do that. I don’t want to take my eye off the ball and go out having missed something, having lost something, having a catastrophe happen under my watch.”
“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, and I think I’ve got an important vantage point as the governor of an important swing state,” Whitmer said. “And so I anticipate helping, but I don’t know if I’m going to be the person.”
During her speech earlier in the day, Whitmer emphasized the strong relationship between Michigan and Canada, criticizing President Donald Trump’s tariffs, particularly the impact these taxes on imports will have on the automotive industry in North America.
While Whitmer noted she doesn’t have the authority to control the national tariff rate, she has voiced those concerns with the White House.
“I’ve sat with the President and told him that when we say ‘no’ to Canada, we say ‘yes’ to China and we can’t let that happen,” Whitmer said. “A decline in trade between [the] U.S., Mexico, and Canada would cause massive job losses, widespread supply chain disruptions, and shortages of fuel, parts and produce. China would love nothing more than to watch us cripple our own economies. We cannot afford to serve them the North American auto ecosystem on a silver platter.
