Gretchen Whitmer

Progressive

Democrat

Governor

Michigan

Current Position: Governor of Michigan

Policy Positions

For labor unions; signed repeal of Michigan's right-to-work law and reinstated prevailing wage law requiring union-level wages on state contractor projects
For minimum wage increase; signed bill raising Michigan's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027 with CPI-indexed increases thereafter
For corporate incentives to attract manufacturing; signed $1 billion economic development fund and approved $1.8 billion in state incentives for electric vehicle battery manufacturing site

For expanding Medicaid and healthcare access; expanded Medicaid under the ACA, opposes removing preexisting condition protections, supports federal Medicare for All, and signed legislation to end surprise medical billing and reduce prescription drug prices

For universal pre-kindergarten and tuition-free higher education pathways; supports phasing in full-day universal pre-K for 4-year-olds and established Michigan Reconnect tuition-free community college program

For renewable energy and pipeline closures; ordered closure of major oil pipelines and supports wind and solar energy investment

For abortion rights; supported repealing Michigan's 1931 abortion ban, signed legislation ensuring abortion access, and championed 2022 Proposal 3 amending Michigan Constitution to include right to reproductive freedom covering all pregnancy-related decisions including abortion at all stages
For LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections; signed legislation expanding Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections in employment and housing

For expanding voting access; signed executive order expanding mail-in voting and legislation expanding automatic voter registration
For AI disclosure requirements in political advertising; signed bill requiring disclaimers on AI-generated political ads

For accepting Afghan refugees and welcoming undocumented immigrants; opposed Trump family separation policy, supported driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, and opposed excluding undocumented immigrants from the census
For pro-Israel positions; gave pro-Israel speech at Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly expressing solidarity with Israeli people

For cannabis legalization; endorsed Michigan's Proposal 1 to legalize recreational cannabis in 2018 and celebrated its passage as governor in 2019
For gun control measures; supports universal background checks, safe storage laws, red flag laws, bump stock bans, bans on 3D-printed guns, and new gun owner licensure requirements; signed comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation package in 2023