LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, well known for vowing to “Fix the Damn Roads” in Michigan, is paving a new path for herself on the national stage. She’s been unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), a position that puts her in charge of helping prep and propel Democratic governors across the country to electoral victory.
So while Michiganders brace for yet another season of orange barrels on her state’s cracked and neglected highways next year, Whitmer will be busy gearing up to coach a roster of Democratic hopefuls toward their next big election wins in the midterms.
Her mission remains as it always has: elect more Democrats.
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As Vice Chair, Whitmer will help craft strategy for the 36 gubernatorial races in 2026 – half of which Democrats currently hold and desperately want to keep. Her responsibilities will include messaging, fundraising, campaign coordination, and all the behind-the-scenes political wizardry that keeps governors’ mansions blue.
If there’s a tight race in Arizona or a nail-biter in North Carolina, don’t be surprised if Michigan’s governor pops up on TV with a smile and a slogan to help out a Democratic candidate. The DGA isn’t subtle about its mission: they want wins. And now Whitmer, alongside DGA Chair and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, is one of the architects tasked with delivering them.
Whitmer said in a statement after becoming the Vice Chair, “In Michigan, we’ve shown that staying focused on the kitchen table issues – like costs, jobs, and roads – is a winning strategy.” She went on to say, “We flipped counties that voted for Trump like Macomb, Bay, and Eaton because we showed up and focused on what Michiganders needed to get ahead. As Vice Chair of the DGA, I look forward to taking what we’ve learned in Michigan to races across the country and helping candidates win tough races.”
Whitmer’s national glow-up.
The DGA gig adds another line to Whitmer’s growing national résumé, which has been quietly expanding ever since her Vice Presidential buzz season. This move cements her as a top-tier party strategist – someone the White House, donors, and future candidates now have to treat as a major player while she remains a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
For Michigan, it means more travel for their governor, more national interviews, and more speculation about future ambitions during her last year as the state’s governor. And it’s easy to see what her focus is going to be in addition to everything anti-Trump.
The economy matters.
Polling across the board – including a Harvard CAPS/Harris survey done online December 2-4 with 2,204 registered voters – shows the economy is still running the show. Nearly half of voters (47%) say inflation and affordability are the top issues affecting them personally. After that, you’ve got restoring basic American values like merit and competence (13%), immigration (11%), and crime (9%).
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Democrats keep insisting their winning playbook is all about the economy and lowering costs. They also appear to be planning to tiptoe right past the donkey in the room – the Biden Administration and their own party – whose policies helped light the inflation dumpster fire that President Trump is now expected to put out.
According to the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, voters are split on who deserves the responsibility for the economy’s direction since Biden left office: 52% point the finger at Trump, while 48% blame Biden. But here’s the part Democrats won’t want on a bumper sticker: a full 55% of voters trust Trump and Republicans more than Democrats to handle the economy.
So what’s next?
Expect Whitmer to spend her time with the DGA sprinkling political fairy dust not just on swing-state Democrats, but on blue hopefuls everywhere – dialing for dollars, polishing messaging, and acting like the Democrats’ political brand manager. And that’s all on top of helping Michigan Democrats battle for every open seat on the ballot, from governor and attorney general to secretary of state and control of the state House and Senate.
Michiganders may have elected Whitmer to run their one state, but the Democratic Party now expects her to help steer dozens – all while still campaigning at home and, somewhere in the mix, governing the Mitten State.
If Whitmer brings the same gusto to her new gig that she deploys during her “Fix the Damn Roads” speeches, Democrats might just manage to patch a few electoral potholes. Then again, if her track record is any guide, her new mission may end up as overlooked as the potholes she promised to fix.
