KENTWOOD, Mich. — The frost in front of the labor union building had not yet melted Saturday morning when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told the crowd of "good, hard-working people" that had gathered inside to get to work.
"Are you caffeinated?" Whitmer said. "The kids are going to be okay if they eat pizza for every meal between now and the election. They're not going to be okay if we've come up short."
Three days ahead of Election Day, the Michigan governor and other state lawmakers, including Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), spoke to canvassers at the UFCW 951 building in Kentwood, teaming up to make a final push on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign.
"Try to get a vegetable in between now and the close of polls," Whitmer said. "I am going to be burning the candle on both ends like all of you are."
"This is the room I want to be in on Saturday morning," added Fitzgerald, a first-term representative running for reelection. "There are still people who don't know they can vote today, tomorrow, and even where to vote on Tuesday. We need to make it easy."
Fitzgerald, a Democrat, is running against Tommy Brann, a Republican attempting to return to the Michigan House of Representatives.
"We can talk about what we've accomplished and still what we have yet to do," Fitzgerald said about his incumbency.
FOX 17 spoke to Gov. Whitmer in an exclusive, one-one-one interview. Her answers are below, edited for brevity and clarity.
Three days. How do you feel about the election?
I'm optimistic. I'm very clear, though, we've got to make sure we continue the work all the way through the close of the polls. There are a lot of folks in this state who are good, hard working people who've not yet made their plan to vote, or maybe are still trying to figure out who to vote for. That’s why our ‘Get Out The Vote’ effort is so important to have those conversations with trusted community members. Every one of us can make a difference.
Kamala Harris has had a little more than 100 days to run her campaign, a short runway. Tim Walz entered the conversation even further into the race. What do you consider to be the campaign’s key events or endorsements?
I think people getting to know the Kamala Harris I've known for years has been a great thing to watch. She is a tested leader. She is someone who has always fought for the people. She's lived a life like most of us have, taking care of a sick parent at the end of their life, helping a sibling raise their kids.
I think it's watching how the public has responded to this campaign of inclusivity and joy and optimism and strength. That's what I think people have come to see in Kamala Harris. It's been fun to watch that evolution.
If Harris loses, could a short runway be to blame?
There will be plenty of time for post-election analysis. I anticipate a close election. [Harris is] focused on solving problems and making a seat the table for people like Fred Upton, a long time Republican, Rusty Hills, who used to be the head of the GOP here in Michigan. They have endorsed Kamala Harris because they want a commander in chief who wants to solve problems.
[As for] the post election analysis, there will be pundits to do that, but I'm going to stay focused on supporting my candidate and making sure Michigan's got the best commander in chief.
Last week, Michelle Obama asked aloud at a rally in Kalamazoo: Is America ready for a Harris presidency? Speaking as a woman in government, are we?
I do! In Michigan, we made history with all women elected to our statewide executive offices, from the attorney general to the secretary of state to myself. We were overwhelmingly re-elected as well. I think Michiganders have shown we just want leaders who can get the job done, deliver results and make space at the table for people who have different points of view. That's a strength, not a weakness. I do think we're ready for a female chief executive and commander in chief.
We’re a swing state. How do you plan to parlay the attention given to Michigan during this election cycle into getting what the people in this state need?
Michigan matters. To have leaders in the White House who appreciate that, who understand that, who are going to work with us and put our priorities front and center is really important, no matter who is the governor. It’s not about talk, it’s about action.
I think Kamala Harris has the receipts on the issues that matter to us. When we think about the incredible work that's being done in supply chains, bringing them back from China to Michigan, the Biden-Harris administration has delivered. They've strengthened our economy. More Michiganders are at work, making more money. There's always good work to do in the future, but I'm proud of where we've come.
Speaking of lawmaking. Last year felt like a flurry of lawmaking at the state level. This year, it’s a little slower. Why?
It’s always that way. The beginning of a two-year term is always a flurry of activity and [then] it wanes. There's nothing new to this.
But I will say, this legislature and Rep. Fitzgerald are an important part of Grand Rapids. He’s delivered for this community. They were incredibly productive, more than any legislature in the last 25 years: A billion dollars of tax relief. We saw LGBTQ+ rights codified, the elimination of barriers between women and them being able to make their own decisions about their bodies, getting rid of trap laws. Rep. Fitzgerald and this democratic majority has delivered on all these fronts.
How do you balance the day-to-day of being a governor with being on the campaign trail?
You’re governor 24/7. The pace doesn't slow down. Different things come into focus on occasion, but the day after this election, I'll be as busy as I am today, I'll just have some additional things that I'll be focusing on.
What is your final pitch to voters?
We want and need leaders who want to solve problems and get things done, who will make a seat at the table for people who aren't dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. That's why I'm so grateful Kamala Harris has gotten the endorsements of so many Republicans, that John Fitzgerald has also been overwhelmingly supported by people on both sides of the aisle.
We need leaders who actually see everyone, who want to solve problems, roll up our sleeves and move Michigan forward. This isn't about retribution against people who disagree with us, like you see on the other side. This is about building a Michigan and building a United States where every person can get ahead, and that's why we need people like John Fitzgerald all the way up to Kamala Harris and everyone in between on this ballot.
