Who is Gretchen Whitmer? What to know about the Michigan governor

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer served as a top campaign surrogate for President Joe Biden in a key battleground state this election year. But Biden's decision not to seek re-election and endorse his Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket leaves open questions about whether Whitmer might jump into the presidential race to seek the Democratic Party's nomination for President or Vice President.

Here's a look at Whitmer's background and how she rose to national prominence.

When was Whitmer elected as Michigan's Governor?

Whitmer was elected to serve as Michigan's 49th Governor in 2018. She ran on a pledge to "fix the damn roads" and beat her Republican opponent then-Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette by nearly 10 points. She won re-election in 2022, defeating Republican Tudor Dixon by nearly 11 points. That same year, Whitmer also championed an abortion rights ballot measure that passed with nearly 57% support.

In an election with Whitmer at the top of the ticket, abortion on the ballot, and newly drawn state legislative maps that eroded the advantage Republicans had under previous lines, Democrats also won control of the state Legislature for the first time in 40 years. Whitmer has signed into law a slew of policies passed by Democrats, including gun safety measures, clean energy legislation and and a repeal of Michigan's right to work law.

What did Whitmer do before she was Governor?

Before serving as Governor, Whitmer was a state lawmaker. She was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2000 and then to the Michigan Senate in a special election in March 2006. She rose to become the Senate minority leader during her final four years in the Michigan Legislature.

Prior to her career in state politics, she worked as a lawyer. Before her first gubernatorial run, she served as interim Ingham County prosecutor.

Whitmer is currently 52 years old. She has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Michigan State University and her law degree from Detroit College of Law at Michigan State.

Whitmer's book release introduces her to national audience

Whitmer released her memoir, “True Gretch,” July 9 – just after Biden’s poor debate showing and ahead of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, fueling speculation about her presidential aspirations. 

When asked about the timing by the New York Times, the nationally prominent Democrat said she saw the memoir as more of a “handbook” on how to stay positive amidst difficulty. 

“I thought, this is going to be another heavy year, it’s going to feel very dark at times with the political rhetoric and this important election coming up and I thought if I can put some light out into the world right now … maybe there’s a little inspiration here that’ll help you get through whatever you were navigating,” Whitmer said.

She later added, “I can’t worry about how everything’s going to be perceived.”

The 158-page “True Gretch” shares 10 life lessons in chapters titled “Be a Happy Warrior” and “You’ll Never Regret Being Kind.”

Free Press editorial page editor Nancy Kaffer writes that the book is a “characteristically pragmatic” case for “an off-ramp from the turbulence that has engulfed this country for the last eight years” written by someone whose perspective “comes from the center of the storm.” In her first term, Whitmer faced sharp backlash over her pandemic restrictions, including from then-president Donald Trump, and a plot by extremists to kidnap and kill her. 

“It’s a lot of positivity, and it’s natural to wonder if, well, maybe it’s a little put on,” Kaffer wrote of the book. “But … it’s pretty clear that this is who Whitmer is. And if you don’t like it, well, she won’t hold a grudge.” 

Who is Whitmer's husband? How many children does she have?

Whitmer is married to Marc Mallory, a dentist who retired early due to threats arising from Whitmer's job. Whitmer has two daughters from a prior marriage and three step-sons.

What is Whitmer's net worth?

Whitmer earns a $159,000 per year salary as governor, but had at least $2.4 million in 2023, according to a personal finance disclosure required under Michigan law. Nearly all of the money was reported to be in investments. She also has full ownership of an Elk Rapids cottage worth an estimated $418,000, according to the filing.

How do Michiganders feel about Whitmer?

Although she’s drawn the ire from the right, Whitmer is broadly popular in the swing state of Michigan, where she has focused on “dinner table” issues she believes residents care most about and sought to find common ground with Republicans going back to her time as a state legislator. 

Since her re-election, Whitmer has generally enjoyed the support of Michigan voters with polls showing a majority of Michigan voters approve of her performance in office.

Despite backlash over her Covid-19 restrictions, she cruised to a second term against a lesser-known, Trump-aligned opponent in 2022, winning 54.5% of the vote to Tudor Dixon’s 43.9%. Also on the ballot was a popular citizen-led initiative to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution following the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade.

If Whitmer enters the race, what happens to Michigan?

Whitmer's current term ends on Jan. 1, 2027. If she seeks her party's nomination for President or Vice President and wins election this fall, she would have to resign from her current office, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II would serve out the remainder of her term under the Michigan Constitution.

Editor's note: This piece has been updated to reflect that Whitmer's gubernatorial term ends Jan. 1, 2027. 

Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter at the Free Press focused on government and police accountability in Detroit. Contact her at vikonomova@freepress.com.

Contact Clara Hendrickson atchendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter,@clarajanehen.

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