Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday pushed back against comments made last year by former first lady Michelle Obama that American voters are not ready to elect a woman president.
“Look, I have a lot of colleagues who I think are probably interested in running for president, and I’ve heard everyone say, ‘You can’t have such-and-such,'” the governor told NBC News on “Meet the Press.”
“I would bet any Democratic governor in the country against (Vice President) JD Vance or (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in 2028,” she added, pointing to two Republicans widely expected to run for president in two years.
When asked directly whether a woman might be the best choice to beat a potential GOP presidential nominee in 2028, Whitmer simply replied: “Yes.
In 2025, Obama said in public remarks: “As we saw in the last election, unfortunately, we’re not ready. That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me if you’re running, because you’re all lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You’re not.”
Several women, including Whitmer and former Vice President Kamala Harris, are widely considered potential candidates in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.
On Sunday, Whitmer did not deny that she was considering a possible run for president in 2028, saying she would decide her next steps after leaving her governorship in January.
“When I leave office…I’m going to take some time to figure out what I want to do next, so I don’t have anything new to share with you, unfortunately,” Whitmer told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.
Earlier this year, Whitmer denied plans to run for president, but quickly walked back her comments.
“There will be a strong group of candidates for president,” she said at the time, adding: “I will not be one of them in 2028, I can tell you that.” »
Later that day, the governor said, “I never thought I’d run for governor. So I guess I should know better than never say never.”
Several other Democratic governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, are also widely considered potential presidential candidates in 2028. Each crisscrossed the country ahead of the midterm elections to campaign on behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidates in competitive races.
Whitmer on Sunday highlighted her support for former public health official Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor.
Earlier this week, Acton’s opponent, Republican businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, released a television ad featuring Acton’s mother calling her a “liar.” Acton has publicly stated that she has been estranged from her mother for nearly 50 years and accused her late stepfather of sexually assaulting her. Acton and his brother were removed from his mother’s custody in 1978 after his stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was arrested for child rape. Acton’s mother did not respond to requests for comment.
“I’m going to stay focused on getting people like Amy Acton across the finish line. What happened to her in Ohio is absolutely heinous, and any survivor knows there’s always a backlash. But that’s what makes it harder for women to seek help after being sexually assaulted in this country,” Whitmer said Sunday. “What’s happening is unreal, and that’s why we need to win races like this and elect good people who will keep people at the heart of their work, like Dr. Amy Acton.”
Ramaswamy’s decision to air the ad drew widespread bipartisan condemnation, including from Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who is engaged in a tight re-election race.
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