Presently, Gretchen Whitmer stands out among the top political leaders in America. She is the 49th Governor of Michigan. Her leadership has left an indelible mark on the state’s political landscape, most especially at this point in time during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper attempts to trace her history, career path, leadership style, policies, and the challenges she has encountered because of her impact not only across Michigan but across America.
Early Life and Education
Gretchen Whitmer was born on August 23, 1971, in Lansing, Michigan, to a political family. Indeed, it has been said that she grew up steeped in the world of politics. Her father, Richard Whitmer, was a legendary figure in the state of Michigan politics; serving as President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, he was a force to be reckoned with in Michigan’s healthcare and political landscape when she was a young woman.
Whitmer graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications in 1993. During her university education, she showed an interest in public service and shortly thereafter attended the College of William & Mary, where she earned her law degree in 1998. She served for a period thereafter in legal and public service practice following law school in various forms, such as in the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office.
Early Political Career
Whitmer entry into politics began by her election victory in the Michigan State House of Representatives when Whitmer was 29 years old. At that time, she became one of the youngest females in the history of the state who ever served in the legislature of Michigan. She would serve for six years as she represented her district, focusing attention on education, health care and the economy.
Whitmer went on to become well-known as a pragmatic and effective legislator while in the House. After focusing her energies on an incredibly diverse range of policy issues-from standards for quality education to healthcare reform issues-she cemented her reputation as a rising star in Michigan politics.
In 2006, she was elected into the Michigan State Senate where she served for another eight years. She is respected for a bipartisan approach to problem-solving while in the Senate and thus is widely regarded as one of the most important figures on the state’s political landscape. From 2011 to 2014, she served as the Democratic leader of the Senate, a period of significant political challenges with regard to the state’s budget and economic recovery following the financial crisis of 2008.
Becoming Governor: A New Chapter for the Michigan State Leadership
In 2018, Whitmer vied to become governor of Michigan in what turned out to be one of the most closely contested races of that election cycle. She ran as the Democratic candidate against the incumbent Attorney General of Michigan and the Republican candidate, Bill Schuette. Her campaign was anchored on the message of “Fixing the Damn Roads,” a loose term to refer to the deteriorating state of infrastructural facilities in Michigan. Her promise to fix the roads in the state actually connected with voters deep at heart, and she centered on making improvements to the economy, healthcare, and education of the state.
In the case of the victory, it was a Democratic win during the time when the swing state was in need of change and was pointing towards stagnation that had existed almost two decades in continuous governance by the Republican party. Whitmer won the election with a very clear majority and proceeded to take office on January 1, 2019. She became the second female governor of Michigan and the first woman to be elected as a governor in almost two decades after Jennifer Granholm’s service.
Leadership Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The new season of Governor Whitmer’s legacy began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus came to Michigan, with one transformation turning a province into an epicenter of the virus in the United States, with rapid spread cases, especially in Detroit and major cities. It is in this time that Whitmer’s leadership handling of the crisis will ultimately define her legacy as a political leader.
This was in March 2020 when Whitmer implemented a statewide “Stay at Home” order-the first, and among the strictest, in the country. Her state-wide order severely restricted big gatherings, non-essential businesses, and travel. Those measures were receiving praise from public health officials at the time for what they said was necessary to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. They were, however, controversial beyond that, causing protests in Michigan and critiquing those who believed the rules were too strict.
Whitmer continued to push on with public health measures despite the backlash that came her way. This opened her to national attention and high praise from many health experts but also made her a target for political opposition at the same time. She represented to some an authoritarian and to others a strong leader who made tough decisions without thinking of citizens’ sentiments for the sake of public health.
Whitmer was not exempt from controversy, and her management of the pandemic has been spotty at best, especially at the hands of several Republican politicians who wished to curtail her authority via executive orders. This actually drew into play a major fight at law as it was used to critique how far she reached within her emergency authority. The Michigan Supreme Court determined that her actions to exert emergency powers in the absence of legislative consent were unconstitutional in 2020; however, Whitmer continued to collaborate with local officials in running the crisis.
Economic Policies and Improved Infrastructure
Even before the pandemic, Whitmer’s priority issue was fixing crumbling infrastructure in Michigan. Her campaign mantra-“Fixing the Damn Roads”-became synonymous with her commitment to fixing roads across the state that had been in shambles for years due to lack of investment. Her plan, initiated in 2019, sought billions of dollars meant for the restoration of roads and infrastructure development was opposed in the state legislature dominated by Republicans.
Her administration, too, dealt with efforts to mitigate the economic problems of the state. Whitmer’s budget for the year 2019 included funding for education, public safety, and healthcare, believing such spending is an investment in the long-term economic well-being of the state. Her state legislature opposed her, but Whitmer insisted that she continue to enforce her programs.
Scandals and Political Controversies
No governor has gone without controversy during his term, and Whitmer is no exception. Besides the various criticisms she received over her COVID-19 restrictions, Whitmer has also surrounded herself with several political challenges. In fact, one of the biggest of this year came when a foiled plot to kidnap and assassinate her emerged last 2020. This, according to reports, was a plot organized by extremist groups who are so dissatisfied with the strict pandemic measures imposed by the governor. This disturbing event thrust Whitmer into the national spotlight and told the country all they needed to know about the dangers of public officials in today’s polarized political climate.
In addition, Whitmer has received criticisms on how she has been managing the budget of the state. Though she espouses higher spending on education and infrastructure, the legislative of the state, which is predominantly Republican, has rejected most of her budget proposals. This has brought about political showdowns with the governor and state lawmakers, especially on school finance and healthcare.
Whitmer’s Vision for Michigan’s Future
The four major elements of the future vision for Michigan, as postulated by Whitmer, include: economic and health and wellness, education, and climate. She commits her administration to a path that positions the state on a clean energy trajectory while creating opportunities for eradicating all effects of climate change through policies enforcing renewable energy and the protection of the environment.
Whitmer also focused on increasing the accessibility of health care for the Michiganders. She called for more mental health care across those parts of the state with a lack of access for the underserved communities and more funding for efforts in public health. She has also explored equality of access within health care for minority communities.
But education is part of her agenda as well. In the years that she served as governor, she saw to it that school funding was boosted, and opportunities between low-income and minority students were made more even. She also supports higher education and vocational education policy to become more accessible to Michigan, so that the workforce of this state can always remain competitive.
Conclusion: A Legacy in the Making
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s tenure has been both marked by hardship and accomplishment. Whether it is keeping the state on track with an unparalleled crisis like COVID-19 or fighting for infrastructure improvements and economic reforms, Whitmer has shown a penchant for taking her vision for a better Michigan seriously. As opposed to a healthy dose of controversy throughout her time in office, Whitmer’s leadership has marked attention both inside and outside the state of Michigan.
While building her legacy, Whitmer goes about the issues of governance. Whether her time is going to be remembered because of the pandemic, or for the infrastructures she has initiated, or the service she had manifested to the public, it can undoubtedly be a moment where Whitmer becomes an important part of the political culture of Michigan. At this point, Whitmer stands as a broad and influential figure within American politics, with a future promising much.
