Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has no intention of challenging Vice President Kamala Harris and running for the Democratic presidential nomination, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
Whitmer plans to have Harris or another Democrat take the lead and run against Republican Donald Trump, the person said, asking not to be named because the discussions are private. Whitmer reportedly sees the situation as complicated and not the ideal time to make a bid following President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race on Sunday.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is also preparing to resign, CBS News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Newsom posted on X that Biden will “go down in history as one of the most influential and selfless presidents.”
Whitmer’s spokesperson did not directly answer questions. Instead, she referred to the governor’s social media post, which praised Biden without mentioning Harris.
Whitmer has been governor of Michigan, a swing state, since 2019 and has been mentioned as a future presidential candidate. She has endorsed Biden since his disastrous presidential debate, but has warned the White House that Michigan could be difficult to win in November.
Michigan pollster EPIC/MRA released a poll Sunday showing Biden losing ground to Trump. The latest poll showed Trump leading 49% to Biden’s 42%. Biden trailed in June at 41% to 38%.
