| Gretchen Whitmer | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 23rd district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2006 |
|
| Preceded by | Virg Bernero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 23, 1971 Lansing, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Christianity |
Gretchen Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is a Democratic member of the Michigan Senate and Senate Democratic Leader. Whitmer has represented the 23rd District since a special election in March 2006 to replace Virg Bernero, who was elected Mayor of Lansing the previous November. Previously, Whitmer was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006.[1][2] Whitmer filed paperwork in October 2009 to run for the position of Michigan Attorney General.[3] However, she suspended her campaign for Michigan Attorney General in January 2010 after only four months citing family concerns.[4]
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Senator Whitmer was born in Lansing and has spent most of her life in East Lansing. She completed internships with the Office of Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings, III, the Honorable Anna Diggs Taylor, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the AFL-CIO.
Whitmer earned a BA degree in Communications and ultimately her law degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Michigan State University.
Prior to her election to the Michigan House of Representatives, Whitmer was a corporate litigator specializing in administrative and regulatory law with the firm Dickinson Wright in Lansing, Michigan. She practiced administrative law before the Ingham County Circuit Court and the Michigan Public Service Commission.
State Senator Gretchen Whitmer was first elected to the State Senate in March 2006. Previously she served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. In the Senate, she serves on the following committees: Government Operations (ranking Democrat), Legislative Council and the Senate Fiscal Agency Board of Governors. As a State Representative, Whitmer served as the Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee for four years.
On November 5, 2010, her Democratic colleagues chose Whitmer to be the Senate Democratic Leader.
| Michigan State Senate District 23 Election, 2010 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Gretchen Whitmer (Incumbent) | 49,974 | 64.0 | -5.8 | |
| Republican | Kyle Haubrich | 28,127 | 36.0 | +5.8 | |
| Majority | 21,847 | 28.0 | -11.6 | ||
| Turnout | 78,101 | 100 | -15.4 | ||
| Democratic hold | Swing | -5.8 | |||
| Michigan State Senate District 23 Election, 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Gretchen Whitmer (Incumbent) | 64,404 | 69.8 | +16.4 | |
| Republican | Frank Lambert | 27,931 | 30.2 | +16.4 | |
| Majority | 36,473 | 39.5 | +32.8 | ||
| Turnout | 92,335 | 100 | +11.6 | ||
| Democratic hold | Swing | +16.4 | |||
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael Prusi |
Michigan Senate Minority Leader Elect 2011 |
Succeeded by Elect |
| Michigan Senate | ||
| Preceded by Virg Bernero |
State Senator from Michigan's 23rd State Senate District 2006–Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Michigan State House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Michael Murphy |
State Representatives from Michigan's 69th State House District 2003–2006 |
Succeeded by Mark Meadows |
| Preceded by Laura Baird |
State Representatives from Michigan's 70th State House District 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by Judy Emmons |