In party response to Trump, Democrats hope to elevate a rising star
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers her State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Mich.
Al Goldis/Reuters
East Lansing, Mich.
The opposition party鈥檚 response to the president鈥檚 State of the Union address can be a kind of audition for the messenger. Many past performances have inspired more mockery than praise, such as then-Louisiana Gov. Bobby聽Jindal鈥檚 Mr. Rogers-like demeanor in 2009 or Florida Sen. Marco Rubio鈥檚 mid-speech water break in 2013.
Tonight it鈥檚 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer鈥檚 turn, as she gives the Democratic Party鈥檚 response to President聽Donald Trump鈥檚 State of the Union address.
Congressional Democrats point to Governor Whitmer鈥檚聽efforts to expand health care, support working class families, and ensure safe聽drinking water as reasons for giving her the prime time slot. The selection also has political overtones, since she鈥檚 a popular female governor from a critical swing state.聽
Why We Wrote This
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won election handily with her now-famous slogan: "Fix the Damn Roads." In choosing her to give the response to the State of the Union, Democrats are highlighting a pragmatic female governor from a critical swing state.
鈥淕retchen Whitmer [appeals to] exactly the kind of voter the Democrats are hoping聽to retain and attract in November,鈥� says Bill Ballenger, a longtime Michigan political聽observer and commentator. 鈥淭hey were a huge factor in her victory: suburban聽female voters, those with higher education, higher income, and from the suburbs聽around Detroit. The Democrats scored big gains in the elections of 2018 and聽Whitmer exemplifies that. She鈥檚 attractive, she鈥檚 articulate, and she鈥檚 pretty young at聽48. She鈥檚 kind of a natural choice.鈥�
After serving in both branches of the Michigan Legislature and as a county聽prosecutor, Ms. Whitmer won the Democratic nomination for governor in 2016 by easily聽defeating two more progressive challengers. Then she cruised to victory in the聽general election in a state that has been decidedly purple in gubernatorial races. The聽last time one governor succeeded another from the same party was 1969.
One of Ms. Whitmer鈥檚 major campaign promises was to, in her words, 鈥渇ix the damn聽roads.鈥� After taking office, she proposed increasing the state鈥檚 gasoline tax by 45聽cents per gallon, a plan that fizzled in the Republican-controlled legislature. The聽latest proposal, announced in this year鈥檚 State of the State address, was to bypass聽the legislature and float $3.5 billion in bonds to fund road repair.
Mr. Ballenger surmises that tonight she will take a pragmatic approach rather than directly attacking President Trump.
鈥淚 think she鈥檒l talk about what a Democratic governor in the hinterlands is doing聽today to address people鈥檚 bread-and-butter, food on the table problems,鈥� says Mr.聽Ballenger. 鈥淕ood education, good health care, and good roads: this is what聽Democrats can accomplish.鈥�
For Ms. Whitmer, tonight鈥檚 speech is a chance to step into the national spotlight and make a good first impression. A strong performance could even propel her into the conversation about the vice presidential slot聽on the Democratic ticket. She has denied any interest in going to Washington, but Mr. Ballenger聽believes she would have a difficult time resisting such a summons.
鈥淚f she got the siren call from national leaders that you are needed, it would be hard聽for her to turn it down,鈥� Mr. Ballenger says.
鈥淪he will either put herself in a great position with her speech or people will write聽her off and say 鈥榳e can find somebody better than that.鈥欌��