{"id":2608683,"date":"2026-05-31T06:13:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T10:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/once-a-rising-star-gretchen-whitmers-2028-prospects-dim\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T06:14:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T10:14:40","slug":"once-a-rising-star-gretchen-whitmers-2028-prospects-dim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/once-a-rising-star-gretchen-whitmers-2028-prospects-dim\/","title":{"rendered":"Once a rising star, Gretchen Whitmer&#8217;s 2028 prospects dim"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fonce-a-rising-star-gretchen-whitmers-2028-prospects-dim%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2608683&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Gov.Gretchen Whitmer indicated she\u2019s unlikely to join the Democratic field aiming for the White House in 2028, though she added \u201cnever say never.\u201d The comments reflect how her influence within the party has cooled since her peak national prominence during the COVID-19 era, when she was seen as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gov-ron-desantis-becoming-major-voice-for-gop\/\" title=\".... Ron DeSantis becoming major voice for GOP\">potential vice president<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >future presidential contender<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since President Donald Trump returned to office, observers say Whitmer has focused more on cooperating with the White House to deliver results for Michigan rather then leading anti-Trump efforts, a strategy that has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sarah-palin-announces-run-for-congress-in-alaska\/\" title=\"Sarah Palin Announces Run for Congress in Alaska\">earned bipartisan praise<\/a> locally but may have left her less aligned with the party\u2019s current national resistance energy. Political analysts also argue she lacks a \u201cclear lane\u201d in a crowded field of well-funded rivals, while allies contend she\u2019s making decisions based on governing needs and the importance of upcoming Michigan races, including a competitive Senate contest and other House battles.<\/p>\n<p>The article suggests that even if Whitmer declines a presidential run, she may still pursue leadership roles elsewhere-such as speculation about becoming president of Michigan State University.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gretchen-whitmer\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2550\">Gretchen Whitmer<\/a>\u2018s (D-MI) suggestion this week that she is unlikely to join the growing field of Democrats eyeing the White House in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11676\">2028<\/a> amounted to a striking acknowledgment from a politician who, not long ago, was viewed as one of her party\u2019s brightest rising stars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whitmer told FOX 2 Detroit that she would \u201cnot be one\u201d of a \u201crobust group of people running for president\u201d in 2028, though she later tempered the comment by telling reporters, \u201cNever say never.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4588101\/why-massie-could-run-for-president\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Why Thomas Massie could run for president<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4587814\/jill-biden-kamala-harris-prosecutor-mode-biden-endorsement\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jill Biden reveals Kamala Harris went into \u2018prosecutor mode\u2019 to secure rapid Biden endorsement<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4585556\/whitmer-rules-out-2028-white-house-bid\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Whitmer rules out 2028 White House bid<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The remarks come as Whitmer\u2019s standing within the Democratic Party has faded from the height of her national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was considered a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fla-gov-ron-desantis-becoming-major-voice-for-gop\/\" title=\"Fla. .... Ron DeSantis becoming major voice for GOP\">potential vice presidential pick<\/a> and future presidential contender.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Political observers in Michigan say Whitmer\u2019s fortunes changed after President Donald Trump\u2019s return to office. Rather than positioning herself as one of the president\u2019s loudest Democratic antagonists, Whitmer opted to work with the White House on issues affecting Michigan. The strategy has earned bipartisan praise at home, but left her increasingly outside the party\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uganda-halts-vote-campaigning-in-some-areas-opposition-cries-foul\/\" title=\"Uganda halts vote campaigning in some areas, opposition cries foul\">national resistance movement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe hasn\u2019t been doing political travel to the early primary states, or anything like that. She has not been engaging in the anti-Trump vitriol, at least not at a high-volume level,\u201d Michigan Republican strategist Jamie Roe told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s actually worked with the president to accomplish some pretty good things for Michigan,\u201d Roe added. \u201cI think that takes you out of the national conversation, if you\u2019re not totally in line with where the base of the party is right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whitmer was once considered among the Democratic Party\u2019s most promising national figures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The former state lawmaker and prosecutor became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic after frequently clashing with Trump over his administration\u2019s response to the outbreak. Trump helped elevate her profile further in March 2020 when he repeatedly referred to her dismissively as \u201cthe woman in Michigan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That visibility brought opportunities. Then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden vetted Whitmer as a possible running mate before ultimately selecting then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whitmer\u2019s political standing increased further in 2022, when she won reelection by 10 percentage points and Democrats successfully made abortion rights a central issue after the Supreme Court overturned <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The governor\u2019s national profile grew alongside the popularity of her \u201cBig Gretch\u201d nickname, fueling speculation that she could eventually seek the presidency herself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Whitmer\u2019s political trajectory changed after Trump carried Michigan on his way back to the White House in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While several ambitious Democratic governors emerged as leading voices of opposition to the administration, Whitmer adopted a more conciliatory approach, emphasizing cooperation with the White House on issues affecting Michigan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The political risk was underlined last April when she was photographed at the White House using a folder to shield her face from photographers. According to Whitmer, the president surprised her by opening up their Oval Office meeting regarding federal storm recovery funding to the press.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The image quickly became a symbol of Whitmer\u2019s uneasy balancing act between working with Trump and maintaining credibility with Democratic activists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is one of those moments where, as a public servant, you\u2019re reminded your job is to put service above self, and that\u2019s what it was all about,\u201d Whitmer told <em>Pod\u00a0Save America<\/em> after the incident.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some political observers, Whitmer\u2019s governing-first approach may have helped her at home while hurting her standing in a Democratic presidential primary increasingly shaped by opposition to Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Michigan AFL-CIO President Mark Gaffney described a White House bid as \u201ca big lift\u201d given the prominence and resources of several potential Democratic contenders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe would make a great candidate for and be a great vice president,\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dennis Lennox, a Michigan Republican strategist, also questioned whether Whitmer could compete against a field that may include Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), and other well-funded contenders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t see a clear lane for Whitmer in a crowded field of heavyweights,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whitmer\u2019s allies dispute the notion that her decision-making should be viewed through a presidential lens. Macomb County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Alysa Diebolt argued Whitmer has done \u201can excellent job for eight years in a rollercoaster of circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe deserves to take time to make such an important decision because running for president is not, like, a on-a-whim decision,\u201d Diebolt told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cI think we need to focus on the 2026 election, and I think that Whitmer knows that the 2026 election is incredibly important for the future of not only Michigan, but our country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race to replace Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gary-peters\/\">Gary Peters<\/a> (D-MI) in the Senate is one of three toss-ups that could decide the balance of power in the upper chamber, along with Maine and Ohio. Michigan is also home to competitive House races that could determine which party controls the lower chamber.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeffrey\u00a0Grynaviski, a political science professor\u00a0at Wayne State University in Detroit, said Whitmer\u2019s posture is hardly unusual and that most prospective presidential candidates don\u2019t make their intentions fully known until after the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMichigan is in the midst of a bruising Democratic Senate primary between progressives and moderates,\u201d Grynaviski told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cSo far, Whitmer has followed a typical path for incumbent governors in cases like this, trying to stay out of the fray, but is probably being especially careful not to tie her political fortunes to the outcome of a Senate primary, or to link herself too closely to a particular ideological wing of her party.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4585251\/democrats-lash-out-bidens-after-jill-relitigates-past\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS LASH OUT AT BIDENS AS FORMER FIRST LADY RELITIGATES THE PAST: \u2018THEY SUCK\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Whitmer ultimately passes on a White House bid, she may still wind up with the title of president \u2014 just not the one Democrats once imagined. While her comments this week suggested her path to the Oval Office may be narrowing, Michigan GOP strategist Jason Cabel Roe noted that Whitmer has recently been floated as a potential future president of Michigan State University, her alma mater.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe is very loyal to Michigan State, and that is a great paycheck and she gets to stay in her hometown. So it wouldn\u2019t surprise me if that came together,\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whitmer\u2019s 2028 White House remarks were a notable shift from her once-promising rise in the Democratic Party<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2652,"featured_media":2608684,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/whitmer-2028-prospects-dim.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32517,53010,5894],"class_list":["post-2608683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-gretchen-whitmer","tag-michigan-governor","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/whitmer-2028-prospects-dim.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2608683"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2608687,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608683\/revisions\/2608687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2608684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2608683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2608683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2608683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}