How Gretchen Whitmer Overcame Misogyny To Become A Leading Governor

 

     Gretchen Whitmer turns 50 today. Few have made so massive a mark and caused such a stir in their home state and at the national level by this age. In 2020, she made national headlines when she gave the Democratic response to the 2020 State of the Union Address, causing Donald Trump to refer to her as "the woman from Michigan" and resulting in an attempt by right-wing terrorists to kidnap her. A prelude to the violence perpetrated by Trump supporters after the 2020 election, it should not have come as a surprise.

     When she instituted a mask mandate and a stay-at-home order to contain COVID-19, the Republican legislature stripped her of her powers and sent an angry mob with assault rifles to storm the Michigan State Capitol. She has been able to make some progress in her home state, securing billions of dollars in new infrastructure spending. 

     Why the anger? Male fragility runs the right. Whitmer served in the Michigan State Senate and was the first woman elected the head of a political caucus in the body (serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2015). In 2016, she took over the last six months of the term of Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III, excoriating the office for its toxic work environment for women and securing changes in its handling of sexual assault cases. 2018, she unseated incumbent Republican Governor Rick Snyder, currently in jail for poisoning children in Flint, Michigan. 

     Gretchen Whitmer was an early supporter of Joe Biden and is currently a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee, and I have no doubt she will hold significant federal office someday.