On This Page


Gretchen Whitmer for governor

Governor Gretchen Whitmer was inaugurated as the 49th governor of Michigan on January 1, 2019. Her career includes serving in the Michigan State House, as the first woman Senate Democratic Leader, and prosecutor for Ingham County, fighting for survivors’ rights and to reform how sexual assault cases are handled. Inspired by her service and family, she is dedicated to improving the lives of all Michiganders.

Gov. Whitmer has been a lifelong resident of Michigan, receiving both a BA and JD from Michigan State University. Prior to serving as governor, she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, and later the Michigan Senate. As the Senate Democratic leader, she worked across the aisle to pass Medicaid expansion into law, which now provides affordable health care to more than 750,000 Michiganders. Throughout her career, Gov. Whitmer has worked to ensure that every resident has a great public education, clean drinking water, access to good roads and good-paying jobs.

Accomplishments

During her tenure, Gov. Whitmer passed a bipartisan budget that closed a $2.2 billion budget deficit that actually increased funding for public education, and she got it done without raising taxes. In her first year in office, Gov. Whitmer worked across the aisle to sign historic auto insurance reform legislation into law, which will protect car accident victims and lower average car insurance rates for Michigan drivers. The governor has also taken bold action to fix Michigan’s crumbling roads through her $3.5 billion Rebuilding Michigan bond plan, which will add 122 major road repair projects to state roads over the next five years without raising taxes.

Governor Whitmer has fought to deliver real progress for Michigan. She has created jobs, led the way for business investment, moved dirt to fix the damn roads, and invested in education. Some of her accomplishments include:

  • Every single bill she has signed – over 800 in the last three years – has been bipartisan, and she’s willing to sit down with anyone to solve problems and help people.
  • Made the largest investment in K-12 education in state history – without raising taxes, and closed the school funding gap, tripled the number of literacy coaches, and helped reduce class sizes.
  • Cut taxes for small business owners and invested over $400 million in local businesses to support and retain jobs.
  • Secured $400 refund checks for every Michigan driver, for each car they own, putting money back in the pockets of hardworking Michigan families.
  • Created nearly 25,000 auto jobs as part of the biggest manufacturing boom in years, ensuring the future of auto manufacturing will be made in Michigan, by Michigan workers.
  • Put 170,000 Michiganders and counting on a path to good-paying jobs with two tuition-free skills training and higher education programs.
  • Helped enroll 35,000 four-year-olds in high-quality pre-K and expanded affordable child care to 105,000 more children.
  • Moved dirt to fix the damn roads, repairing over 13,000 lane miles and more than 900 bridges, while supporting over 80,000 good paying jobs.
  • Turned a projected $3 billion deficit into a $7 billion surplus and passed three balanced budgets without raising taxes.

Gov. Whitmer lives in Lansing with her husband, Marc, their two daughters, and their dogs Kevin and Doug.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a tough and tested leader who works tirelessly to put Michigan first.

Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to public service, governed through unprecedented, colliding crises, and remains focused on working with anyone to get things done that will make a difference in people’s lives.

Governor Whitmer has been tested.

Amidst historic circumstances, the Governor has led with grit and grace, tackling Michigan’s longstanding infrastructure, healthcare, and education challenges while taking decisive action to save lives and rebuild the state’s economy. Despite the unprecedented challenges of her first term, she continues to govern with a steely resolve and dedication to delivering for the people of Michigan.

Her administration has delivered results for Michiganders by, creating over 20,000 new auto jobs while working across the aisle to ensure Michigan has the resources to compete for new business, passing balanced, bipartisan budgets, making the largest investment in K-12 education in state history and closing the school funding gap without raising taxes, and provided hundreds of millions in relief funds to Michigan’s small businesses and restaurants.

She has created two successful workforce education programs to ensure Michigan’s businesses can fill jobs with skilled workers: Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners. She’s cut costs for hardworking families by securing $400 refund auto insurance refund checks for every Michigan driver, repealing the tampon tax, and expanding low or no-cost childcare to 105,000 additional families. She’s also fulfilling her signature promise to fix the damn roads, with $3.5 billion in bonds for roads and funding to repair 100 bridges to tangibly improve people’s daily drives and improving the state’s water infrastructure.

Governor Whitmer is tough.

She’s tackling the big challenges Michigan faces with bold solutions and decisive leadership. She will continue working to ensure that every Michigander has a great public education and a path to a good-paying job, every community has clean, safe drinking water, and everyone can drive to work or drop their kids at school safely, without blowing a tire or cracking a windshield. She knows that our best days are ahead of us and will never stop fighting for Michigan’s families.

Finally, Governor Whitmer is resilient.

She will continue working to ensure that every Michigander has a great public education and a path to a good-paying job, every community has clean, safe drinking water, and everyone can drive to work or drop their kids at school safely, without blowing a tire or cracking a windshield. She knows that our best days are ahead of us and will never stop fighting for Michigan’s families.

Governor Whitmer and her husband Marc Mallory live in Lansing with Kevin and Doug, the First Dogs of Michigan. Her daughters, Sherry and Sydney, are students at the University of Michigan. Her three stepsons, Alex, Mason, and Winston all live in Michigan, as well. Governor Whitmer earned a bachelor’s degree and law degree from Michigan State University. A lifelong Michigander, Gretchen Whitmer is honored to serve as Governor of Michigan.