Gretchen Whitmer
Born 1971 · Age 54
American lawyer and Democratic politician. Served in Michigan House (2001–2006), Michigan Senate (2006–2015, Minority Leader 2011–2015), Ingham County Prosecutor (2016), and 49th Governor of Michigan (2019–present).
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Lansing, Michigan
Gretchen Esther Whitmer born to Sharon H. Reisig and Richard Whitmer (both attorneys).
Parents divorced; moved to Grand Rapids with mother
Whitmer's parents divorced when she was ten; she and siblings moved with their mother to Grand Rapids while father continued frequent visits.
Began attendance at Forest Hills Central High School
Attended Forest Hills Central High School near Grand Rapids (1985–1989); participated in softball and track & field.
Summer-camp injury; lost front teeth
During a Christian summer camp she was injured playing tag and lost both front teeth. (Approximate timing; summers during youth.)
Awarded Most Improved Student at Forest Hills
After an early high-school incident (intoxication) Whitmer said she 'got it together' and was named most improved student in 1987.
High school graduation
Graduated from Forest Hills Central High School (c. 1989).
Enrolled at Michigan State University (BA in Communication)
Enrolled at MSU intending to be a broadcaster; interned during undergrad with State Rep. Curtis Hertel which led her to pursue law.
Graduated Michigan State University (B.A., Communication)
Earned Bachelor of Arts (major in Communication) from Michigan State University.
Interned with State Rep. Curtis Hertel
Undergraduate internship with Curtis Hertel helped convince her to study law.
Entered Michigan State University College of Law
Began law studies at MSU College of Law (member of MSU Law Review).
Graduated J.D., magna cum laude
Earned Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law, magna cum laude.
Joined Dickinson Wright (private practice)
Entered private practice at the Detroit law firm Dickinson Wright, Lansing office.
Elected Chair, East Lansing Transportation Commission
Elected chair of the East Lansing Transportation Commission.
Ran for Michigan House (70th district)
Campaigned on education, healthcare, and environment; won Democratic primary and general election.
Sworn in to Michigan House of Representatives
Assumed office as State Representative (70th district term began 1 Jan 2001).
Married Gary Shrewsbury
Married photographer Gary Shrewsbury (married 2001; divorced 2008).
Reelected to Michigan House; first child born; mother died
Reelected (69th district) in 2002; gave birth to first daughter in 2002; her mother died of glioblastoma at age 59.
Introduced alcohol tax & fire protection bill
Proposed legislation to raise taxes on alcohol to fund improved fire protection; earned support of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Reelected to Michigan House (2004)
Won reelection to the Michigan House of Representatives (continued service and role as vice chair of House Appropriations Committee).
Voted Most Effective Democrat in Michigan House
Recognized by peers as Most Effective Democrat of the Michigan House in 2005.
Won special election to Michigan State Senate (23rd district)
Elected to State Senate in a March 2006 special election to replace Virg Bernero (who became Lansing mayor).
Elected to a full State Senate term (2006)
Won a full term for Michigan State Senate, District 23 (2006 general election).
Divorced Gary Shrewsbury
Whitmer and Gary Shrewsbury divorced in 2008; they remain close and Shrewsbury worked on her 2018 campaign.
Reelected to State Senate (2010)
Won reelection to Michigan State Senate (District 23) in 2010.
Married Marc P. Mallory
Whitmer married Marc P. Mallory, a dentist, in 2011; Mallory has three sons from a prior marriage.
Elected Senate Democratic Leader (first woman caucus leader)
Unanimously chosen by Senate Democrats to serve as Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate (Jan 1, 2011–Jan 1, 2015). First woman to lead a party caucus in the Michigan Senate.
Gained national recognition for floor speech revealing sexual assault
During an abortion debate in the state Senate, Whitmer revealed she had been sexually assaulted as a freshman at Michigan State University; she generated national attention.
Key role in passage of Medicaid expansion in Michigan
As Senate Democratic leader earlier in 2013, she delivered Democratic votes needed to pass the state's Medicaid expansion (Healthy Michigan).
Left State Senate due to term limits
Concluded Senate service on January 1, 2015 after reaching term limits.
Served as lecturer at Michigan State University
Worked as a lecturer at Michigan State University (Ballotpedia notes service in 2015).
Selected as Ingham County Prosecutor (announcement)
Judges of Michigan's 30th Judicial Circuit Court unanimously selected Whitmer to serve the remaining six months of outgoing Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III's term.
Administered oath as Ingham County Prosecutor
Sworn in as Ingham County Prosecutor; declared priorities including reviewing Dunnings-era cases and improving domestic violence and sexual assault case handling.
Issued report on Dunnings-era prosecutions
Released an 11-page review concluding that staff were not asked to compromise cases and that problems left with Dunnings.
Term as Ingham County Prosecutor ended
Completed six-month appointment; term expired Dec 31, 2016.
Announced run for Michigan governor (2018)
Declared candidacy for the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial race.
Won Democratic primary for Michigan governor (2018)
Secured Democratic nomination with 52% of the vote, defeating Abdul El-Sayed and Shri Thanedar.
Elected Governor of Michigan (2018)
Defeated Republican Bill Schuette in general election with 53.3% of vote (2,266,193 votes).
Michigan Reconnect program proposed/passed (2019)
Launched/established Michigan Reconnect to offer tuition-free associate degrees/professional certificates for Michiganders 25+ without a degree; part of '60 by 30'.
Inaugurated as 49th Governor of Michigan
Assumed office as Governor of Michigan; pledged to 'fix the damn roads' among other priorities.
Set infrastructure priorities and ambitious road repair funding
Pledged to 'fix the damn roads'; first budget earmarked billions for infrastructure; initial plan included a controversial 45-cent/gallon gas tax proposal (which faced strong opposition).
Reorganized state environmental agencies (EGLE)
Issued an executive order reorganizing the Department of Environmental Quality into the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Portrayed on Saturday Night Live
Cecily Strong portrayed Whitmer on SNL episodes in May 2020 and February 2021, reflecting heightened national profile.
Launched 'Futures for Frontliners' (2020)
Program providing tuition-free access to associate degrees/certificates for essential workers during early COVID months; more than 120,000 applied by 2021.
Vetted as potential Vice Presidential pick (2020)
Vetted and listed as a finalist for Joe Biden's 2020 running mate; Whitmer reportedly removed herself from consideration to urge selection of a Black woman.
Delivered Democratic response to State of the Union
Selected to give the Democratic response to President Trump's 2020 State of the Union address, increasing national profile.
Issued COVID-19 stay-at-home order
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Whitmer issued a statewide stay-at-home order and extended it multiple times before partial lifting.
Endorsed Joe Biden and joined his campaign as national co-chair
Endorsed Biden days before Michigan primary and joined his campaign as a national co-chair (early March 2020).
Capitol protest against COVID restrictions
Between 3,000–4,000 protesters gathered at the Michigan State Capitol in an eight-hour protest organized by right-wing groups opposing COVID restrictions.
Edenville Dam breach and state-directed EGLE investigation
After the Edenville Dam failure, Whitmer directed EGLE to launch an investigation into dam safety and state actions; the decision drew criticism over conflicts of interest.
Michigan Supreme Court ruled 1945 Emergency Powers Act unconstitutional
State Supreme Court ruled the 1945 Emergency Powers of Governor Act unconstitutional, limiting Whitmer's authority to issue/renew COVID orders without legislative approval.
FBI unsealed indictment in Wolverine Watchmen kidnapping plot
Federal indictment unsealed charging men associated with Wolverine Watchmen with plotting to kidnap Governor Whitmer and overthrow the Michigan government.
Vetoed legislature's repeal of 1945 Emergency Powers Act
After the legislature passed legislation to repeal the 1945 act, Whitmer vetoed the repeal in December 2020 (though subsequent events made the act unenforceable).
Co-chaired Biden's inaugural committee
Served as a co-chair on President Biden's inauguration planning/committee in January 2021.
Michigan COVID-19 policy legal & political aftermath
Following court rulings and citizen initiatives in 2020–2021, the 1945 Emergency Powers Act was ultimately repealed and made unenforceable; Whitmer vetoed repeal in Dec 2020 but could not stop the eventual repeal (process concluded mid-2021).
Elected Vice Chair, Democratic National Committee
Nominated and elected as one of the DNC vice chairs; served on the slate elected Jan 20–21, 2021. (Served Jan 21, 2021 – Feb 1, 2025.)
Lifted remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Michigan
Cited falling cases and vaccine availability when lifting final COVID restrictions on June 22, 2021.
Signed HB 4603 creating $1 billion economic development fund
Signed bipartisan measure creating a $1 billion Michigan economic development fund to attract manufacturers.
Kidnapping-plot trials & convictions (follow-up)
Several defendants were tried across 2022; some acquitted on entrapment grounds in April 2022; others convicted across Aug–Oct 2022; pleas entered by some defendants.
Secured large incentives for Marshall megasite & EV battery production
Supported industrial 'megasite' in Marshall and approved roughly $1.8 billion in state incentives related to site purchase/preparation for electric vehicle battery manufacturing (reported approvals).
Signed bipartisan $5 billion infrastructure deal (2022)
Signed a $5B infrastructure agreement that included over $400M for roads and $1.7B for water infrastructure investments.
Michigan roads & bridges milestone (cumulative)
During Whitmer's first term, over 16,000 lane miles of roads and 1,200 bridges were reported repaired across the state.
Reelected Governor of Michigan (2022)
Won a second term, defeating Tudor Dixon with 54.5% of the vote (2,430,505 votes).
State of the State 2023: major policy proposals
Called for repeal of retirement tax, boosting earned income tax credit, universal pre-K, renewable energy investment, and other priorities in Jan 2023 address.
Inducted into Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame (2023).
Signed 2023 tax/cuts package including retirement-tax repeal and EITC expansion
Signed a bipartisan package estimated at $1B including repeal of the retirement tax, quintupled Michigan EITC, and corporate tax allocations for incentives.
Signed expansion of Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
Signed legislation adding sexual orientation and gender identity protections to Michigan's civil rights law (March 2023).
Signed repeal of right-to-work and reinstated prevailing wage
Approved reversal of Michigan's 2012 right-to-work law and reinstated prevailing wage requirements for state projects (March 2023).
Named co-chair of Biden's 2024 reelection campaign
On April 25, 2023 Whitmer was named co-chair of President Biden's reelection campaign.
Launched 'Fight Like Hell' PAC
Launched PAC on June 12, 2023 to support Democrats running for federal office in 2024; first endorsements announced in December 2023.
Signed election and voting-rights bills (Nov 2023)
Signed bills expanding automatic voter registration, updating canvassing duties, and creating criminal penalties for poll-worker intimidation; included AI political ad disclaimers.
Publicly declined to seek 2024 Democratic presidential nomination
After Biden withdrew from consideration in July 2024, Whitmer announced she would not seek the Democratic nomination and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Public image: 'Big Gretch' nickname & viral song (May 2020)
Nickname 'Big Gretch' (coined during pandemic). Rapper Gmac Cash released 'Big Gretch' in May 2020 which went viral; Whitmer publicly embraced the nickname.
Publicly hinted at 2028 presidential ambitions (March 2024 speech)
Gave remarks in Washington, D.C., hinting at possibly running for president in 2028 ('See you in 2029.').
Endorsed Kamala Harris for president (post-Biden withdrawal)
After Biden withdrew in July 2024 Whitmer endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and said she would not accept being Harris's running mate.
Served as DNC vice chair until Feb 1, 2025 (term)
Served as one of the vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee from Jan 2021 through Feb 1, 2025 (infobox dates).
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