GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sent a less-than-warm “welcome” message to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Saturday ahead of their rally in the Great Lakes State.
“Welcome to Michigan, Donald Trump and JD Vance. Here are three things you should know about our great state,” Whitmer said in a statement on X and sent out via the Biden/Harris campaign.
“We protect reproductive freedom. We’re not interested in your national abortion ban. Two, we always find ways to put money back in Michiganders’ pockets, by lowering the cost of prescription drugs, education, housing, and so much more. And three, we’re a proud union state, and UAW workers here still remember when Donald Trump broke his promises to Michigan workers.”
Trump and Vance will speak today at the Van Endel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 3 p.m. Eastern, where security is said to be “unprecedented” following a failed attempt on Trump’s life at his last rally in Butler, Pa. on July 13.
Trump, 78, has denied both his intent to pursue a national abortion ban if elected or any endorsement of the now-infamous “Project 25” conservative political roadmap — but his theoretical connection to the inflammatory document has become Democrat’s favorite new way to fire up their base for November.
“Michigan is going to reject your extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Whitmer concluded. “Have a great trip!”
What Whitmer did not mention was any sort of endorsement for embattled President Biden or even his name.
This continues a trend of distance between Biden, 81, and Whitmer, 52, who chose to send a proxy to the president’s last Michigan rally two weeks ago in Detroit.
Whitmer is a potential frontrunner among Democrats to replace Biden if rumors about his potential campaign shutdown continue to swirl.
Theoretical projections and polling from RealClearPolitics show that currently, Whitmer would be a competitive challenger to Trump, but ultimately still trails him in national popularity by over 4%.
Outside of Whitmer’s own ambitions, Michigan is widely considered to be one of the most important and competitive electoral swing states in the nation.