Career Timeline of Gretchen Whitmer: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Gretchen Whitmer, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Gretchen Whitmer is the current governor of Michigan, serving since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, her political career includes terms in the Michigan House of Representatives (2001-2006) and the Michigan Senate (2006-2015) before becoming governor. As governor, she has focused on issues such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1931: Reference to 1931 Abortion Ban

In January 2023, Gretchen Whitmer called for a repeal of Michigan's now defunct 1931 abortion ban.

1999: Elected Chair of East Lansing Transportation Commission

In 1999, Gretchen Whitmer was elected chair of the East Lansing Transportation Commission.

2000: Elected to Michigan House of Representatives

In 2000, Gretchen Whitmer won the election to the Michigan House of Representatives' 70th district.

2001: Elected to Michigan House of Representatives

In 2001, Gretchen Whitmer was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives.

2002: Re-elected to the 69th House district

In 2002, Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected to the 69th House district.

2003: Introduced a Bill in the Michigan House

In 2003, Gretchen Whitmer introduced a bill in the Michigan House to raise taxes on alcohol and improve fire protection in the state.

2004: Re-elected to the 69th House district

In 2004, Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected to the 69th House district and served as vice chair of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee.

2005: Most Effective Democrat

In 2005, Gretchen Whitmer was voted Most Effective Democrat of the Michigan House.

March 2006: Won special election to the Michigan State Senate

In March 2006, Gretchen Whitmer won a special election to the Michigan State Senate, replacing Virg Bernero.

2006: Elected to Michigan Senate

In 2006, Gretchen Whitmer was elected to the Michigan State Senate.

2010: Re-elected to Michigan Senate

In 2010, Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected to the Michigan State Senate.

2011: Senate Democratic Leader

In 2011, Gretchen Whitmer became the first female Democratic leader in the Michigan State Senate.

2012: Whitmer wrote open letter to NRA President

In 2012, Gretchen Whitmer wrote an open letter to National Rifle Association President Wayne LaPierre on HuffPost about actions to prevent further school violence like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

2012: Michigan's Right-to-Work Law

In 2012, Michigan established a "right-to-work law".

2013: Key Role in Passing Michigan's Medicaid Expansion

In 2013, as Senate minority leader, Whitmer played a key role in passing Michigan's Medicaid expansion, delivering the Democratic votes needed for its approval.

2015: Left office in Michigan State Senate

In 2015, Gretchen Whitmer left office in the Michigan State Senate due to term limits.

2015: Left Michigan Senate

In 2015, Gretchen Whitmer left the Michigan Senate due to term limits.

2015: End of term in the State Senate

In 2015, Gretchen Whitmer's term in the Michigan State Senate ended.

May 11, 2016: Selected as Ingham County Prosecutor

On May 11, 2016, the judges of Michigan's 30th Judicial Circuit Court unanimously selected Gretchen Whitmer to serve as Ingham County Prosecutor.

June 21, 2016: Administered Oath of Office

On June 21, 2016, Gretchen Whitmer was administered the oath of office as prosecutor by Ingham County Circuit Court Chief Judge Janelle Lawless.

July 2, 2016: Dunnings Resigned

On July 2, 2016, Stuart Dunnings III resigned as Ingham County Prosecutor, after which Gretchen Whitmer would serve the remaining six months of his term.

July 2016: Issued Report on Dunnings's Offenses

In July 2016, Gretchen Whitmer issued an 11-page report on whether Stuart Dunnings's offenses had affected cases the office handled, concluding that employees were never asked to compromise a case or look the other way.

2016: Ingham County Prosecutor

For six months in 2016, Gretchen Whitmer was the prosecutor for Ingham County.

December 31, 2016: Term Expired as Prosecutor

On December 31, 2016, Gretchen Whitmer's term as Ingham County Prosecutor expired.

January 3, 2017: Announced Gubernatorial Run

On January 3, 2017, Gretchen Whitmer announced she would run in the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial race.

August 2018: Became the Democratic Nominee

In August 2018, Gretchen Whitmer became the Democratic nominee, winning 52% of the vote.

2018: Shrewsbury Photographed 2018 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2018, Gary Shrewsbury, Whitmer's ex-husband, worked as a photographer on Whitmer's gubernatorial campaign.

2018: Healthcare Stance

In 2018, Gretchen Whitmer spoke against single-payer healthcare as unrealistic on a state level but expressed support for federal-level Medicare for All. She also vowed to lower prescription drug costs and eliminate Schuette's drug immunity law, which she believes protects drug companies.

2018: Elected Governor of Michigan

In 2018, Gretchen Whitmer was elected governor of Michigan, defeating Republican nominee Bill Schuette.

2018: Whitmer spoke at Hash Bash to endorse Proposal 1

In 2018, as a candidate for governor, Gretchen Whitmer spoke at Hash Bash to endorse Proposal 1 to legalize recreational cannabis in Michigan.

2018: Endorsed by Human Rights Campaign

The Human Rights Campaign endorsed Gretchen Whitmer during her 2018 campaign for governor.

2018: Campaigning

While campaigning in 2018, Gretchen Whitmer said she would focus on improving Michigan's schools, roads, and water systems.

February 2019: Whitmer reorganized state government departments

In February 2019, Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order that reorganized some state government departments; the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality became the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

2019: Became Governor of Michigan

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer became the 49th Governor of Michigan.

2019: Whitmer established the Michigan Reconnect program

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer established the Michigan Reconnect program passed with bipartisan support after first proposing the program in her State of the State speech as part of her "60 by 30" goal to address workforce talent shortages.

2019: Whitmer joined governors in calling for gun legislation

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer joined 11 other governors in calling for "common sense gun legislation".

2019: Struggled to Pass Budget

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer struggled with the Republican-controlled legislature to pass a budget, making several concessions.

2019: Supported Undocumented Immigrants Driver's Licenses

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer told immigration rights groups that she supported plans to give undocumented immigrants driver's licenses or a form of government ID.

2019: Canceled Sale of State Prison

In 2019, Whitmer canceled the sale of a former state prison due to the purchasing company's plans to operate the facility as an immigrant detention center. The company could not guarantee that the facility would not be used to house separated families under the Trump administration's family separation policy.

2019: Created Clean Water Public Advocate Office

In 2019, Whitmer created the office of the Clean Water Public Advocate and has enforced Michigan's recently updated lead and copper drinking water rule, which has the nation's strictest standards for drinking water contamination.

2019: Whitmer celebrated legalization of recreational cannabis

In 2019, as governor, Gretchen Whitmer reappeared at Hash Bash via video message to celebrate the legalization of recreational cannabis in Michigan.

February 2020: Whitmer delivered Democratic response to State of the Union address

In February 2020, Gretchen Whitmer was selected to deliver the Democratic response to the State of the Union address by then President Donald Trump.

February 2020: Democratic Response to State of the Union Address

In February 2020, Gretchen Whitmer was selected to give the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address.

March 2020: Trump's Remark and Whitmer's Response

In late March 2020, President Donald Trump reportedly told Vice President Mike Pence, "don't call the woman in Michigan," seemingly in response to Whitmer's criticism of the Trump administration's initial COVID-19 pandemic response. This event brought national attention to Whitmer.

2020: Whitmer launched Futures for Frontliners program

In 2020, Gretchen Whitmer launched the Futures for Frontliners program, providing tuition-free access to an associate degree or professional certification program for Michiganders who served as essential workers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Whitmer spoke at the Democratic National Convention

In 2020, Gretchen Whitmer spoke at the Democratic National Convention, praising Biden's work and criticizing Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Whitmer vetted as potential vice presidential running mate

In 2020, Gretchen Whitmer was vetted by Joe Biden's team as a potential running mate during the Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection. Though on the shortlist, Kamala Harris was ultimately selected.

2020: Announced Rebuilding Michigan Program

In 2020, Whitmer announced the Rebuilding Michigan program, which provided $3.5 billion in state funding for over 120 road projects for the next five years, focusing on major roads with the greatest economic impact and traffic volume.

2020: Disapproved of Trump's Census Plan

In 2020, Whitmer disapproved of Trump's plan to exclude illegal immigrants from the 2020 United States census.

2020: Signed Bill Ending Surprise Medical Billing

In 2020, Whitmer signed a bipartisan bill into law, ending surprise medical billing in Michigan by requiring providers to negotiate bills for out-of-network emergency services with a patient's insurance company instead of the patient.

2020: Expanded Access to Mail-in Voting

In 2020, Whitmer signed an executive order expanding access to mail-in voting.

2020: Whitmer endorsed Joe Biden and joined his campaign

In early March 2020, days before the Michigan Democratic presidential primary, Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Joe Biden and joined his campaign as a national co-chair.

January 9, 2021: Whitmer declined interest in Biden's cabinet

On January 9, 2021, Gretchen Whitmer stated that she was not interested in leaving her role as governor, despite speculation she might be offered a position in Biden's cabinet.

January 2021: Vice Chair of Democratic National Committee

From January 2021 to February 2025, Gretchen Whitmer served as one of the vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee.

January 2021: Whitmer called for ban on weapons inside Michigan State Capitol

In January 2021, Gretchen Whitmer called for a ban on all weapons inside the Michigan State Capitol in response to armed protestors in April 2020.

January 2021: Whitmer co-chaired Biden's inaugural committee and nominated as vice chair candidate for the Democratic National Committee

In January 2021, Gretchen Whitmer co-chaired Biden's inaugural committee, and then-President-elect Biden nominated her as a vice chair candidate for the Democratic National Committee. The committee elected Whitmer and the rest of the slate of candidates on January 20 unopposed.

September 2021: Whitmer worked to repeal abortion ban

In September 2021, Gretchen Whitmer began working with the state legislature to repeal a 90-year-old law that banned abortion in Michigan, to preserve abortion rights if Roe v. Wade was overturned.

October 2021: Expanded Property Tax Exemptions for Small Businesses

In October 2021, Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation to expand property tax exemptions, providing $75 million in savings for small businesses.

December 2021: Created SALT Tax Cap Workaround for Small Businesses

In December 2021, Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation creating a SALT tax cap workaround for small businesses that providing a total of $200 million in tax savings.

December 20, 2021: Whitmer signed bill creating economic development fund

On December 20, 2021, Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4603, a bipartisan measure that created a $1 billion economic development fund to attract manufacturers to Michigan.

2021: Over 120,000 applied for Futures for Frontliners

By 2021, more than 120,000 people had applied for Gretchen Whitmer's Futures for Frontliners program.

2021: Michigan Ready to Accept Afghan Refugees

In 2021, Whitmer declared that Michigan was ready to accept Afghan refugee families fleeing the country amid the Taliban takeover following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. She cited Michigan's "rich history of multiculturalism."

2021: Made a $500 million Deposit to Michigan's rainy-day fund

In 2021, under Gretchen Whitmer, a $500 million deposit was made to grow Michigan's rainy-day fund.

2022: Whitmer considered a possible presidential candidate

After her 2022 reelection, Gretchen Whitmer was considered a possible presidential candidate in the event that Biden did not run for a second term in 2024.

2022: Democrats took control of the Senate and House of Representatives

After the 2022 Michigan elections, Democrats took control of the Senate and House of Representatives, allowing Whitmer greater control of her legislative agenda.

2022: Whitmer signed legislation establishing Michigan Achievement Scholarship

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation establishing the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and providing $560 million to fund it.

2022: Whitmer supported Michigan Proposal 3

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer strongly supported 2022 Michigan Proposal 3, a ballot proposal that amended the Michigan Constitution to include the right to reproductive freedom.

2022: Re-elected as Governor

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer was reelected as governor, defeating Republican nominee Tudor Dixon.

2022: Michigan Had Fifth-Lowest State and Local Tax Burden

In 2022, Michigan had the fifth-lowest state and local tax burden in the nation and the lowest in the Midwest, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

2022: Michigan's Rainy-Day Fund Reached All-Time High

In 2022, Michigan's rainy-day fund grew to an all-time high of $1.6 billion thanks to a $500 million deposit made in 2021 and an additional $180 million deposit in 2022 as part of bipartisan spending agreements.

2022: Secured Water Infrastructure Investments

In 2022, Whitmer secured $1.7 billion in water infrastructure investments as part of a nearly $5 billion bipartisan infrastructure deal signed into law. The package included major funding for local governments to upgrade their drinking water systems, hundreds of millions to replace an estimated 20,000 lead service lines across the state, and millions more to address other drinking water contaminants.

2022: Signed Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and Created Michigan Infrastructure Office

In 2022, Whitmer signed a bipartisan $5 billion infrastructure deal that included over $400 million for state and local roads and bridges. She also signed an executive order to streamline road repairs and announced the creation of the Michigan Infrastructure Office to coordinate between agencies and spend infrastructure funding more effectively.

2022: Signed Bills to Reduce Prescription Drug Prices

In 2022, Whitmer signed a bipartisan package of bills into law to reduce prescription drug prices by requiring pharmacists to disclose prices of cheaper generic drugs to patients and by requiring pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed and file drug-price transparency reports.

2022: Endorsed by Human Rights Campaign

The Human Rights Campaign endorsed Gretchen Whitmer during her 2022 campaign for governor.

2022: Roads "in their best shape in years"

The Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council's 2022 report found that Michigan's roads were "in their best shape in years", with the proportion of roads rated "good" and "fair" increasing while those in "poor" condition decreased.

January 2023: State of the State Address

In her January 2023 State of the State address, Gretchen Whitmer called for a repeal of the state's retirement tax, universal pre-kindergarten, investment in renewable energy, and stricter gun laws.

March 2023: Expanded Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act

In March 2023, Whitmer signed legislation to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections against discrimination in employment and housing, based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

March 2023: Repealed Right-to-Work Law

In March 2023, Whitmer signed the repeal of the state's 2012 "right-to-work law"; Michigan was the first state in 58 years to repeal such a law. Whitmer also signed legislation reinstating a prevailing wage law.

April 2023: Whitmer signed bill repealing abortion ban

In April 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill repealing the 1931 ban, ensuring abortion access in Michigan.

April 2023: Whitmer signed gun violence prevention legislation

In April 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of gun violence prevention legislation after Democrats won a majority in the state legislature. The Michigan package included a universal background checks law, a safe storage law, a law exempting of firearm safety devices from state sales tax and use tax, and a law containing new licensure requirements for gun owners.

April 25, 2023: Whitmer named co-chair of Biden's reelection campaign

On April 25, 2023, Gretchen Whitmer was named co-chair of Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

May 2023: Whitmer signed red flag law

In May 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed a red flag law; that law took effect in February 2024.

November 2023: Signed Election-Related Bills

In November 2023, Whitmer signed a series of election-related bills. The package of legislation expands automatic citizen voter registration, makes it a criminal offense to intimidate or threaten a poll worker, and clarifies the duty of the state canvassing board to certify election results.

2023: Social Media Popularity

As of 2023, Whitmer is popular on social media, with hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and 4 million TikTok likes.

2023: Signed $1 Billion Tax Cut Package

In 2023, Whitmer signed a bipartisan $1 billion package of tax cuts into law. The legislation repealed the retirement tax, quintupled the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit, and allocated up to $500 million per year of corporate taxes towards the state's fund for business incentives.

2023: Whitmer called for expanding Michigan Reconnect program

In her 2023 State of the State Address, Gretchen Whitmer called for expanding the Michigan Reconnect program by lowering the minimum age to 21.

2023: Road conditions report

The Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council's 2023 report found that "slightly fewer roads were in good condition and slightly more were deemed poor" but said it was a good sign that roads had not deteriorated substantially from the gains in the previous year.

February 2024: Red flag law took effect

In February 2024, the red flag law signed by Gretchen Whitmer in May 2023 took effect.

March 2024: Whitmer hinted at running for president in 2028

In a speech in Washington D.C. in March 2024, Gretchen Whitmer hinted at running for president in 2028, saying, "See you in 2029."

July 2024: Whitmer withdrew candidacy, endorsed Kamala Harris

After Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy in July 2024, Gretchen Whitmer announced that she would not seek the Democratic nomination, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. She also said she would not accept an offer to be Harris's running mate.

October 2024: Viral Video and Apology

In October 2024, Whitmer appeared in a viral video promoting the CHIPS and Science Act, where she fed a Dorito chip to a podcaster, Liz Plank. This act received criticism from some Catholic groups, who interpreted it as resembling the Eucharist. Consequently, Whitmer apologized, clarifying that the intention was to promote semiconductor manufacturing legislation and not to mock religious practices.

November 2024: Pro-Israel Speeches at Rally

After the November 2024 election, Whitmer, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, gave pro-Israel speeches at a pro-Israel rally to the Jewish Federations of North America's General Assembly and expressed solidarity with the Israeli people.

2024: Signed Bills Regulating Political Disinformation

The 2024 packages of bills Whitmer signed also include a bill to regulate political disinformation campaigns ("materially deceptive media") by requiring artificial intelligence-generated political ads to contain disclaimers.

April 2025: Whitmer attended Oval Office event

In April 2025, Gretchen Whitmer attended an Oval Office event where Trump unexpectedly brought her in during a signing ceremony, drawing national attention for photographs showing her shielding her face with folders. Later that month, she greeted Trump at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, where he announced a new F‑15EX fighter jet mission for Michigan, a major win for the state's economy and military personnel.

2028: Whitmer mentioned as potential presidential candidate

Gretchen Whitmer has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the 2028 United States presidential election.

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