DETROIT, Mich. — The to-do list is long, and the stakes are high for a second Whitmer-Gilchrist term in Michigan. Entering the new year, fresh challenges and old promises await the pair.
This time though, they’ll have something they didn’t before: a legislative majority. Albeit a small lead – just two seats in each chamber – both executives are hopeful that having a blue state house and senate will make the go easier. It’s the first time in 40 years Democrats have controlled both chambers.
“This has only happened four times in 130 years, so it’s a big deal,” said Gov. Whitmer. “We’re going to stay focused on the issues that we ran on. Because that’s what people elected us to do.”
Whitmer is entering her second term having already passed a budget that contains record funding for education, and says more money to hire counselors and stipends for student-teachers will hopefully help close a growing shortage of educators that’s not necessarily unique to just Michigan.
With the nation reeling financially, the governor also has plans to follow through on two first term promises that went unfulfilled the past four years: repealing the state’s tax on pension plans, and upping the earned income tax credit for many working families.
There are also issues outside of Michigan that could permeate the governor’s social agenda. Despite President Joe Biden signing the Respect for Marriage Act earlier this month, Michigan has a dormant law passed by voters in 2004 that banned same-sex marriage. If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case – which established legal gay marriage in the nation – that 2004 state law would become active again.
“So it is our job to make sure that, no matter what happens in Washington D.C., Michiganders can have that protection,” said Whitmer. "We've got to go in and scrutinize all the laws on the books that are zombie laws, dormant laws, laws no one thinks about or don’t make sense in 2023 and beyond, and we need to get those off the books.”
The gay marriage issue rings similar to a dormant 1931 law that banned legal abortion in the state of Michigan that was nullified after the passage of Roe v. Wade, then became active again after it’s overturning. Voters in November approved a ballot measure that legalized abortion in the state anyways.
Sitting down with FOX17 just weeks after the one-year anniversary of the deadly shootings at Oxford High School, Whitmer pledged to use the new legislative majority to pass safe storage laws that have long eluded state Democrats.
“I think the people of our state expect some commonsense action to protect our kids in schools… and to protect people in our communities,” said Whitmer. “I’ve talked to so many Republican parents who expect and want their kids safe at school. This is not a partisan issue.”
Despite winning the gubernatorial race by a margin of over 10-points, Whitmer says she isn’t outcasting Republican member of the legislature or voters who didn’t cast their ballot for her.
“There is a seat at the table for Republicans,” she said. “I also recognize there were a lot of people who didn’t vote for me. I’m going to show everyone in the state that I am focused on serving the people of Michigan, not one sector, not one part of the state, I’m going to govern for all people of the state.”
Both the governor and lieutenant governor are also looking far into the future, to 2024, when Michigan could become one of the earliest states to host a Democratic primary.
“Michigan is a state of consequence, electorally and economically,” said Lt. Gov. Gilchrist. “What it’s going to mean is more people listening to Michiganders. That’s presidential candidates coming and listening to Michiganders, that’s more of the press coming and understanding what’s happening in communities all across Michigan.”
