Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signaled willingness to work with Donald Trump in an interview this week, saying the president-elect clearly cared about her state.
"People in Michigan, like a majority of Americans, voted for Donald Trump, and my oath is to Michigan," Whitmer told CNN at a meeting of Democratic governors in Los Angeles. "Obviously, I’ve got experience in this type of environment that will help inform how I continue to fight for Michigan. But I know Donald Trump cares about Michigan. And I’m hoping that because of that, we’ll be able to find some common ground in some important ways."
Trump won back Michigan in the 2024 election en route to re-capturing the White House. Whitmer is widely seen as a possible White House contender in 2028 given her status as a 2-term governor of a battleground state.
Whitmer seemed to be employing the tactic of not antagonizing Trump in public, given the federal government's ability to allocate aid and prioritize certain states' initiatives.
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Whitmer and Trump butted heads in the media during his first term, particularly over his administration's COVID-19 response. She was floated as a possible running mate for Kamala Harris, but declined consideration so she could conclude her second term in office, which is up in 2027.
Another governor at the meeting who spoke to CNN, New York's Kathy Hochul, revealed she'd already had a phone conversation with Trump where she played up his status as an iconic New Yorker.
Hochul called him a "president who is a New Yorker, has been a New Yorker, would understand how important it is for the success of our state."
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Other Democratic governors at the meeting played up being the last line of defense against a second Trump administration.
"It would be irresponsible of me not to anticipate all scenarios of what could happen, especially listening to what the president said, what his advisers have said, what his appointees have said, what his candidates for various positions have said, and what Project 2025 says," Hochul told CNN. "I have to be keenly aware of all those potential challenges and have a strategy to respond to each if they actually occur. So it’s playing some defense right now, getting the game plan together and being willing to work."
Democrats find themselves without a clear national leader as the Biden administration comes to a close. President Biden has been largely absent from public view, as has Harris after her bruising loss to Trump.
The 2028 Democratic primary is wide-open and could feature several governors, including Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
