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 49th and current governor of Michigan, serving since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, she previously held positions in the Michigan House of Representatives (2001-2006) and the Michigan Senate (2006-2015).

Sections (6)

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

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 was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives' 70th district.

2002: Re-elected to the Michigan House

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

2003: Introduced Tax Bill

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

2004: Re-elected to the Michigan House

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

March 2006: Won Special Election to Michigan State Senate

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

2006: Won Special Election to State Senate

In 2006, Gretchen Whitmer won a special election to the Michigan State Senate and served in that chamber until 2015.

2010: Re-elected to State Senate

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

2011: Became First Female Democratic Leader in the Senate

In 2011, Gretchen Whitmer became the first woman to lead a party caucus in the Michigan State Senate, serving as Senate Democratic Leader from 2011 to 2015.

2011: Chosen as Senate Democratic Leader

In 2011, Gretchen Whitmer's Democratic colleagues unanimously chose her to be the Senate Democratic Leader, making her the first woman to lead a party caucus in the Senate.

2012: Open Letter on School Violence

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.

2013: Key Role in Passing Michigan's Medicaid Expansion

In 2013, as Senate minority leader, Gretchen Whitmer played a pivotal role in securing the Democratic votes necessary to pass Michigan's Medicaid expansion.

2014: Unable to Run for Reelection

In 2014, Gretchen Whitmer was unable to run for reelection due to term limits.

2015: Left Office

In 2015, Gretchen Whitmer was unable to run for reelection in 2014 due to term limits and left office.

2015: End of State Senate Term

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

May 11, 2016: Selected as Ingham County Prosecutor

On May 11, 2016, Gretchen Whitmer was unanimously selected to serve the remaining six months of outgoing Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III's term.

June 21, 2016: Administered Oath of Office as Prosecutor

On June 21, 2016, Gretchen Whitmer was administered the oath of office as prosecutor by Ingham County Circuit Court Chief Judge Janelle Lawless. Whitmer's top priorities during her six months of service would be to determine if any other officials in the prosecutor's office knew about Dunnings's alleged crimes and to change how the office handled domestic violence and sexual assault cases.

July 2016: Issued Report on Dunnings' Offenses

In July 2016, Gretchen Whitmer issued an 11-page report on whether Dunnings's offenses had affected cases the office handled.

2016: Served as Ingham County Prosecutor

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

December 31, 2016: Term as Prosecutor Expired

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

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 Democratic Nominee for Governor

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

2018: Shrewsbury Worked on Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2018, Gary Shrewsbury, Gretchen Whitmer's former husband, worked as a photographer on her 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 pledged to lower prescription drug costs and repeal Schuette's drug immunity law, which she believed protected drug companies from legal accountability if their drugs harmed or killed people.

2018: Elected Governor of Michigan

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

2018: Human Rights Campaign Endorsement

In 2018, the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Gretchen Whitmer during her campaign for governor.

2018: Campaigning for Governor

While campaigning in 2018, Gretchen Whitmer said that, if elected, she would focus on improving Michigan's "fundamentals" such as schools, roads, and water systems.

2019: Canceled Sale of Former State Prison

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

2019: Created Clean Water Public Advocate Office

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

2019: Establishment of Michigan Reconnect Program

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer established the Michigan Reconnect program to address workforce talent shortages, aiming to have 60% of working-age adults in Michigan with a skill certificate or college degree by 2030.

2019: Joined Call for Common Sense Gun Legislation

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

2019: Supported Undocumented Immigrants Receiving Driver's Licenses

In 2019, Gretchen Whitmer voiced her support to immigration rights groups for plans to grant undocumented immigrants driver's licenses or other forms of government identification.

February 2020: Delivered Democratic Response to State of the Union Address

In February 2020, Gretchen Whitmer was selected to deliver the Democratic response to then President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, with Michigan considered a swing state.

2020: Announced Rebuilding Michigan Program

In 2020, Gretchen Whitmer announced the Rebuilding Michigan program, which allocated $3.5 billion in state funding for over 120 road projects over the next five years. The program focused on major roads with significant economic impact and high traffic volume.

2020: 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: Disapproved Trump's Census Plan

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

2020: Signed Bill Ending Surprise Medical Billing

In 2020, Gretchen Whitmer signed a bipartisan bill into law, effectively ending surprise medical billing in Michigan. This legislation mandates that healthcare providers negotiate bills for out-of-network emergency services directly with a patient's insurance company, rather than burdening the patient.

2020: Expanded Access to Mail-In Voting

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

2020: Speech at Democratic National Convention

In 2020, during her speech to the Democratic National Convention, Gretchen Whitmer praised Joe Biden's work in rescuing the Michigan auto industry and criticized Donald Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 9, 2021: 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 that she might be offered a position in Joe Biden's cabinet.

January 2021: Served as 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: 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: Nominated as Vice Chair Candidate for Democratic National Committee

In January 2021, then-President-elect Joe Biden nominated Gretchen Whitmer as a vice chair candidate for the Democratic National Committee.

September 2021: Initiation of Repeal of 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.

October 2021: Expanded Property Tax Exemptions for Small Businesses

In October 2021, Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation that expanded property tax exemptions, providing $75 million in savings for small businesses in Michigan.

December 2021: Created SALT Tax Cap Workaround for Small Businesses

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

December 20, 2021: Signed House Bill 4603

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: Welcoming Afghan Refugees

In 2021, Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan was prepared to welcome Afghan refugee families fleeing the country amid the Taliban takeover after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. She emphasized Michigan's history of multiculturalism and commitment to assisting those arriving in the state to establish themselves.

2021: Credit Rating Outlook Upgrade

In 2021, S&P and Fitch both announced rating outlook upgrades for Michigan, citing the state's responsible fiscal management and economic success emerging from the pandemic.

2022: Michigan Had Lowest State and Local Tax Burden in Midwest

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

2022: Signed Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

In 2022, Gretchen 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 aimed at streamlining road repairs by speeding up permitting for infrastructure projects and announced the creation of the Michigan Infrastructure Office to improve coordination between agencies and enhance the effectiveness of infrastructure funding allocation.

2022: Signed Bills Reducing Prescription Drug Prices

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer signed a bipartisan package of bills into law aimed at reducing prescription drug prices in Michigan. These bills require pharmacists to disclose the prices of cheaper generic alternatives to patients and mandate pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed and file drug-price transparency reports.

2022: Re-elected as Governor

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected as governor of Michigan, defeating Republican nominee Tudor Dixon.

2022: Re-elected Governor of Michigan

In 2022, Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected to a second term as governor of Michigan, defeating Republican nominee Tudor Dixon.

2022: Secured Water Infrastructure Investments

In 2022, as part of a bipartisan infrastructure deal, Gretchen Whitmer secured $1.7 billion in water infrastructure investments. This package provided substantial funding for local governments to upgrade their drinking water systems, replace lead service lines, and address other drinking water contaminants.

2022: Human Rights Campaign Endorsement

In 2022, the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Gretchen Whitmer during her campaign for governor.

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

Thanks to deposits made in 2021 and 2022, Michigan's rainy-day fund grew to an all-time high of $1.6 billion in 2022 under Gretchen Whitmer's leadership.

2022: Road Conditions Improved

The Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council's 2022 report noted that Michigan's roads were "in their best shape in years".

January 2023: State of the State Address

In her January 2023 State of the State address, Gretchen Whitmer called for repeal of the state's retirement tax; an increase in the state earned income tax credit from 6% to 30%, universal pre-kindergarten; investment in renewable energy such as wind and solar power; a repeal of Michigan's now defunct 1931 abortion ban; increasing education spending, and stricter gun laws, such as universal background checks and a ban on 3D printed guns; the addition of sexual identity and gender identity protections to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act; and further investment in manufacturing.

March 2023: Expanded Civil Rights Act

In March 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in Michigan, including protections against discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was passed with bipartisan support in both the Michigan House and Senate.

March 2023: Repealed "Right-to-Work" Law

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

April 2023: Signed Bill Repealing 1931 Abortion Ban

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

April 2023: Signed Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

In April 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of gun violence prevention legislation passed by the Democrats after they won a majority in the state legislature, in the aftermath of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting and 2023 Michigan State University shooting.

April 25, 2023: 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: Signed Red Flag Law

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

November 2023: Signed Election-Related Bills

In November 2023, Gretchen Whitmer signed a series of election-related bills which expands automatic citizen voter registration and makes it a criminal offense to intimidate or threaten a poll worker. It also clarifies the canvassing board's duty to certify election results.

2023: Signed $1 Billion Tax Cut Package

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

2023: 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 Stable

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 that was signed in May 2023 by Gretchen Whitmer took effect.

March 2024: Hinted at 2028 Presidential Run

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: Endorsed Kamala Harris's Presidential Campaign

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.

November 2024: Pro-Israel Speech

In November 2024, following the election, Gretchen Whitmer, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, delivered pro-Israel speeches at a pro-Israel rally held by the Jewish Federations of North America's General Assembly. They expressed solidarity with the Israeli people.

2024: Regulating Political Disinformation Campaigns

In 2024, Gretchen Whitmer signed packages of bills that include a bill to regulate political disinformation campaigns by requiring artificial intelligence-generated political ads to contain disclaimers.

February 2025: End of term as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee

In February 2025, Gretchen Whitmer's term as one of the vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee will end.

April 2025: Engagement with Trump and F-15EX Announcement

In April 2025, Gretchen Whitmer attended an Oval Office event and a Selfridge Air National Guard Base event with Donald Trump, where he announced a new F‑15EX fighter jet mission for Michigan.