Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited Wisconsin last Friday to speak to a group of Democratic volunteers and activists as the 2026 midterm elections draw closer.
Whitmer, a Democrat who has won re-election in Michigan by comfortable margins, could be a key element of Democrats campaign efforts in 2026 and beyond as she weighs the next step in her political career, which some have speculated could include a run for President.
When asked to weigh in on the Democratic primary for Wisconsin Governor, Whitmer said that she hopes the nominee is someone with a “real vision”. (RELATED: WEDC Scandal Resurfaces Amid Wisconsin Gubernatorial Race)
“I think that Gov. Evers has done a great job,” Whitmer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, adding that she’d like to see “someone who wants to take it to the next level.”
While Whitmer’s campaign efforts may provide a boost to Democrats in swing states, some have criticized her shift in focus from her constituents in Michigan to building a national profile for a potential Presidential run.
The Midwesterner, a Michigan-based news outlet, lamented that Whitmer also spent much of 2024 away from Michigan campaigning for Kamala Harris and down-ballot Democrats. (RELATED: American Farmers Slam Shutdown as it Reaches Third Week)
Despite her absence in the last two years, Whitmer touted her agenda in Michigan during the Wisconsin campaign stop and advised Democrats in other swing states to use their electoral mandate boldly and aggressively.
“I think some people recoil after an election, or they don’t want to be bold, or they don’t want to look like they’re strong-arming people,” Whitmer said. “I’ve seen Democrats win control and then not use their powers. There’s nothing that makes me crazier than that, because it’s like, the people just gave you the authority, go use it!”
