Gretchen Whitmer endorses Kamala Harris for president, joining chorus of Democrats

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris' last-minute presidential bid Monday after President Joe Biden heeded calls from Democrats to bow out of the race. Whitmer has not said whether she's among the Democrats Harris may consider as potential running mates, but she seemed to express disinterest in the role.

While Whitmer did not take questions from the news media at two public events Monday, WLNS reporter Tim Skubick ran after her before she hit the road from the Capitol building in Lansing. Asked whether she was prepared to take the vice presidency if offered, Whitmer batted down the possibility. "No, I'm not planning to go anywhere," she said.

"So if they offer it, you will not take it?" Skubick asked. "I am not leaving Michigan," Whitmer responded. "I'm proud to be the Governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again. I know you’re doing your job. I'm not going anywhere," she said.

While Whitmer has repeatedly answered questions about her presidential ambitions, Biden's withdrawal from the race and Harris' quest to replace him have prompted fresh speculation about Whitmer's interest in joining Harris on the ticket.

Whitmer said she was "fired up" to put her support behind Harris in a statement issued by her fundraising arm that was initially launched to support Biden's reelection, ending speculation about whether she might challenge Harris for their party's presidential nomination.

"In Vice President Harris, Michigan voters have a presidential candidate they can count on to focus on lowering their costs, restoring their freedoms, bringing jobs and supply chains back home from overseas, and building an economy that works for working people," Whitmer said.

More: Gretchen Whitmer endorses Kamala Harris for president: Read her statement

Biden ended his presidential campaign Sunday, a decision that followed his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump in June that prompted demands from Democrats across the country to end his campaign and warnings that he would lose the Nov. 5 election. Biden immediately backed Harris as his replacement for the Democratic Party nomination, and many Michigan Democrats soon followed Biden with statements of support for Harris who celebrated the wave of endorsements. But for hours, Whitmer stayed silent as her fellow Democrats weighed in on Biden's pick.

Whitmer's endorsement late Monday morning came as other Midwestern governors also announced their support for Harris, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, according to a news release from Whitmer's team.

She was soon joined in endorsing Harris by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, who said in a news release, "Joe Biden is a singular leader in American history who has done something few other people would even consider: He chose to make space for someone else to lead. We can all learn from his example."

Whitmer served as a top campaign surrogate for Biden in Michigan, a state key to Democrats' hopes to maintain control of the White House. When Biden faced pressure to exit the race, Whitmer stood by him even as some wanted to see her jump into the race to seek her party's nomination. She served as a national co-chair of Biden's campaign and will do the same for Harris' campaign, according to a post Whitmer made on the social media platform X.

2024 Presidential Election: Whitmer on the Dem ticket could knock over political dominoes from Lansing to Detroit

But even if Whitmer may not want to enter the presidential race as Harris' running mate, it still remains unclear whether she's under consideration. Spokespeople for Whitmer did not respond to repeated requests for comment Sunday about whether the governor may run as vice president. They did not immediately respond to a request to comment Monday on whether Whitmer is among the Democrats Harris is eyeing. In 2020, Whitmer made Biden's list of vice presidential contenders before he chose Harris. Biden regularly praises Whitmer. He called her "the best governor in the country" during his first campaign stop in Michigan this year.

Biden defeated Trump in 2020 by more than 154,000 votes or nearly three percentage points in Michigan. Four years earlier, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in Michigan by about 11,000 votes, a little less than a quarter of a percentage point. It was the tightest margin of victory for Trump of any state that year and marked the first time Michigan backed the Republican presidential candidate since 1988.

Contact Clara Hendrickson: chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer endorses Harris for president, responds to VP speculation