Sorry, former New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer doesn’t want to be vice president next year.
MICHIGAN—Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is laying to rest speculation over whether she would accept an opportunity to run as a vice presidential candidate alongside Kamala Harris, telling reporters that she would decline the opportunity and finish her second term as governor.
“I’m not leaving Michigan,” Whitmer told reporters, who stopped her for an impromptu interview on Monday. “I’m proud to be the governor of Michigan. I’ve been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again. … I’m not going anywhere.”
After President Joe Biden ended his presidential campaign on Sunday and passed the torch to Harris, Whitmer’s name has repeatedly surfaced as Harris’ potential vice presidential running mate, alongside a handful of other prominent Democrats like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ramped up those rumors by formally endorsing Whitmer to be vice president within hours of Biden stepping away from the campaign on Sunday evening—calling the combined Harris-Whitmer ticket a “winning hand” for Democrats.
With Whitmer’s latest remarks, speculation over who Harris may pick for her running mate has now turned to other Democrats—including Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, US Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Harris’ campaign has reportedly requested vetting materials from five candidates, including Whitmer. It’s unclear whether the request was made before or after Whitmer’s latest remarks.
In a recent social media post, Whitmer also further quelled speculation over a vice presidential run by announcing that she will also serve as a co-chair of Harris’ presidential campaign.
“In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a candidate they can count on to lower their costs, protect their freedoms, and build an economy that works for working people,” Whitmer said. “Donald Trump is a convicted felon who stokes violence, overturned Roe, and drove our economy into the ground. We cannot let him anywhere near the White House.”
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