Gretchen Whitmer, born August 23, 1971, in East Lansing, Michigan, is a lifelong Michigander and the 49th Governor of Michigan, serving since 2019[5]. A lawyer and educator, Whitmer earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from Michigan State University[1][3]. Her political career began in 2000 when she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, followed by election to the State Senate in 2006, where she made history as the first woman to lead a Senate caucus[1][2]. After being term-limited out of the Senate, she briefly served as Ingham County prosecutor in 2016, establishing a dedicated domestic violence unit[2]. Whitmer’s gubernatorial tenure has focused on bipartisan cooperation and addressing “kitchen-table” issues such as education, infrastructure, and economic development[3][4]. She has signed over 1,000 bipartisan bills and multiple balanced budgets, prioritizing investments in public education—including the largest K–12 funding in state history—and infrastructure, notably repairing thousands of miles of roads and bridges[3][6]. Her administration has also launched workforce programs like Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners, expanding access to education and job training[6]. Under Whitmer, Michigan has attracted significant auto industry investments, created tens of thousands of jobs, and maintained a strong state credit rating[3][4]. She has also enacted policies to lower costs for families, such as auto insurance refunds and expanded childcare access, while repealing the state’s right-to-work law and the 1931 abortion ban after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade[5][6]. These actions have positioned her as a prominent figure in state-level Democratic politics. Whitmer was reelected in 2022, a year marked by national political headwinds for Democrats, and her party also gained control of both chambers of the Michigan legislature for the first time in decades[5]. In 2024, she published a memoir, *True Gretch*, reflecting on her career and leadership[5]. Though briefly considered as a potential vice presidential candidate during the 2024 election cycle, she withdrew from consideration and instead co-chaired Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, speaking at the Democratic National Convention[5]. Whitmer lives in Lansing with her husband, Dr. Marc Mallory, her two daughters, and three stepsons[1][4]. Known for her direct communication style—epitomized by her “fix the damn roads” slogan—she remains a central figure in Michigan politics, recognized for her focus on practical governance and bipartisan achievement[4][6].