Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday that she will not run for president in 2028. Speaking during Michigan’s annual Mackinac policy conference, Whitmer put to rest speculation that she would join what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary field after leaving office at the end of this year.
Whitmer has been widely viewed as a potential White House contender following two decisive gubernatorial victories in the pivotal battleground state. While she previously offered cautious answers about her political future, she told Fox 2 Detroit that while there will be a robust group of people running for president, she will not be among them.
The governor, who is term-limited, indicated she plans to take a break instead of jumping immediately into another campaign. Although she remarked that she should "never say never" and has "a lot of gas in the tank," she stated that she has nothing to announce at this juncture and is unsure if she will put her name on a ballot again.
The Mackinac conference also served as a hub for presidential speculation, with other possible 2028 contenders such as U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in attendance.