Governor Gretchen Whitmer is getting ready to address the Democratic National Convention in Chicago tonight. The governor said she plans to lay out the case for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris from the perspective of a swing-state governor. Whitmer said that includes sharing the sense of optimism among Democrats with the new ticket of Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz heading into November.
“We know that there’s a lot of positivity and energy and happy warriors here,” she said in a phone interview. “What we need to do is be ready on Friday to get back into our states and have those conversations, turn out the vote, get people registered and that’s what I’m trying to convey to everyone here.”
Whitmer said her message will also be directed toward independent voters and Republicans who are disenchanted with the direction of the GOP. Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has made four visits to Michigan this year in an effort to boost Republican turnout.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, state Senator Mallory McMorrow and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain are also Michiganders who addressed the convention this week. Another Michigander on the speaker list for the final night is U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee who will face Republican candidate Mike Rogers on the general election ballot.
Whitmer also addressed the controversy over President Joe Biden’s response to Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. The issue is dividing Michigan Democrats. Michigan has one of the nation’s largest Arab American populations.
Whitmer said Harris may be in a better position to bridge that divide now that she is the nominee.
“I appreciate the fact that the Harris-Walz campaign has been very intentional about having conversations with people who hadn’t been a part of a conversation with the Biden campaign,” she said.
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