LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is spending this week in Australia for a what she calls “a week-long investment mission” to further business ties with companies there.
However, there’s work to be done here in Michigan.
Taxation without representation continues in Michigan’s 35th.
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Michigan’s 35th Senate district has lacked representation since Jan. 3, 2025. That’s when the district’s former Democratic Senator, Kristen McDonald Rivet, started her tenure in the U.S. House. Michigan law does not automatically trigger a special election when a legislative seat is vacated; the governor must call for the election.
McDonald Rivet’s departure left the Michigan Senate with a tiny Democratic majority. Pair that with the newly installed GOP House and that leaves Whitmer on shaky footing for maintaining Democratic control at the legislative level. A special election may give the Saginaw-Bay City-Midland area seat to a Republican.
According to Greg Manz, Principal of Wytherson Media, this stretch marks the longest delay in Michigan history concerning a special election. In an op-ed published on Monday, Manz pushed back on Whitmer’s procrastination.
“Whitmer’s delay tactics aren’t about “governing” — they’re about gambling,” Manz wrote. “She knows her hand is weak. Her legacy? School lockdowns, crime spikes, runaway spending, and a flatlined economy. That’s not a record to run on — it’s a resume for retreat.”
Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist went against his boss and said Whitmer needs to call for a special election. Gilchrist is running for governor.
In addition, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told WGVU on Monday that Whitmer needs to call the election. “I think that the people of that Senate district deserve to be represented,” Nessel said.
Whitmer’s track record.
Whitmer’s role in special elections has been swift in the past. In 2023, two Michigan legislators won their district’s mayoral races. Voters elected former Democratic Reps. Lori Stone and Kevin Coleman as mayor of Warren and Westland, respectively.
Whitmer called for special elections for both seats and they were filled by Democrats in April 2024.
Manz said the reasoning behind Whitmer’s delay is simple. “If Republicans flip just one seat, the entire Democrat machine in Michigan grinds to a halt,” He added, “That’s not conservative wish-casting — that’s a cold political calculation.”
The clock ticks on Lansing’s looming budget deadline.
Meanwhile, a Michigan law requires the state’s budget to be cemented by July 1. The proposed $83 billion budget proposal from Whitmer is getting pushback from Republicans. Some say it’s bloated and should be axed by at least $20 billion for a state Michigan’s size.
The governor is key during the back-and-forth in June while legislators work with her to solidify a spending plan. Manz told Michigan News Source this is a crucial time for the state and Whitmer’s absence shows “zero leadership.”
Radio silence from Whitmer on China agroterrorism.
While Nessel diverted from Whitmer on the special election, both she, Whitmer, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (another Democratic gubernatorial contender) have remained in lock-step and mute regarding the recent arrest of Chinese nationals in possession of bioweapons.
Three Chinese nationals with ties to the University of Michigan used their research credentials to try and bring a fungus and other bio weapons into the state.
Whitmer’s next political move.
Whitmer cannot run for reelection in 2026 due to term limits. Some pundits speculate that Whitmer’s frequent international trips are to lay the groundwork for a presidential run in 2028.
