GRETCHEN WHITMER

An activist in her home state of Michigan, Gretchen ran for Congress in her early 30s and was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000.

A graduate of Michigan State University and Detroit College of Law, she won a special election to the state senate in 2006 and became its first female Democratic leader in 2011.
She went on to be elected Governor of Michigan in 2018 and was subsequently chosen to give the Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union address.

She has consistently proven herself to be one of the nation's most effective leaders. In her first term alone, despite 28 recall attempts, she signed over 1,000 bipartisan bills into law—bills lowering car insurance rates, upgrading Michigan's roads and water infrastructure, providing free school lunches, and lowering the cost of college. Whitmer has signed historic voting rights legislation, common-sense gun safety measures, and provisions to protect LGBTQIA+ communities.

In her home state of Michigan, her political agenda has historically been more moderate than traditional Democratic platforms. Always expressing a willingness to compromise, she is known for her deep interest in learning what matters most to her constituents, regardless of their political affiliation.

Her ability to gather broad public input led her to take on large infrastructure projects and honor her pledge to "FIX THE DAMN ROADS" by repairing over 20,000 lane miles.

Her cautious handling of the pandemic resulted from uncertainty about how dangerous the virus could be, especially to children. Erring on the side of safety, she was subsequently targeted by Donald Trump and his followers.

In the spring of 2020, just nine months before the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, demonstrators and armed militia members opposing the pandemic lock downs brought their grievances to the Michigan State Capitol. Some of the armed gunmen wore masks and stood outside her office. Gretchen acknowledges that the hostility directed at her intensified when she was singled out by Trump.

The darkest incident by far was a plot by militia members to kidnap and execute her. Not only has she persevered and continued to lead the state effectively, but she has also expressed interest in speaking with these very men to better understand what drove them to such desperate measures.

Her determination to lead effectively has required her to be in the same room and negotiate budgets with individuals who shared a stage with the same plotters who planned to kidnap and murder her. Her rare ability to not only absorb insults and threats gracefully but also turn them into political capital is best expressed by her motto:

"The best way to disarm a bully is to take their weapon and make it your shield."