Today, 671 days before the 2018 election, Ingham County Prosecutor and former State Senator Gretchen Whitmer filed paperwork to run for governor of Michigan in 2018. It’s a smart move given that she’ll likely face primary opponents with more high profile positions (like Congressman Dan Kildee, for example.) Getting out early will help give her helpful exposure.
It’s exciting to have someone with Whitmer’s energy and drive running for governor and many of us were sad when she didn’t run in 2014. In her announcement on Medium titled “I’m ready — are you?”, Whitmer was typically direct and fired up:
I’m no stranger to fights. As Ingham County Prosecutor and as Democratic leader in the Senate, I’ve led a lot of tough ones. Fights to protect workers’ rights, fights to level the playing field for everyone, fights to protect kids and to hold government accountable.
No matter the outcome, the fight was always worth it for what it said to the people we were fighting for. To the men and women who don’t know if they can count on their paycheck, to the students and their families taking on frightening amounts of college debt, to the women whose access to health care is threatened, to the brick and mortar business owner competing with the world on an unlevel playing field. […]
For too long, our leaders have been content to manage our decline. We went from leading the nation to lagging. If we want change, we can’t wait for Washington to solve our problems. And we can’t elect the same old politicians, on the same old platforms and expect a different result. We can do better. We deserve better.
And we can’t wait. Too many people in Michigan need good-paying jobs, today. Right now, too many small business owners know the deck is stacked against them. Too many families can’t trust that their government is looking out for their health and safety. Too many children aren’t prepared for their futures. And too many Michiganders face the threat of discrimination.
It’s never been more critical to join the fight. I’m ready — are you? Forward this email to five friends and find out how you can get involved at gretchenwhitmer.com.
Join me and we’ll win this fight for Michigan.
You can read my interview with her from 2012 HERE.
Photo by Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog
