Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told NPR she believes the U.S. is ready to elect a woman president, directly disagreeing with Michelle Obama’s comment that voters aren’t prepared. Whitmer cited recent electoral gains by women across competitive races and said gender was not the sole reason for Kamala Harris’ loss. Term-limited and not planning a campaign, Whitmer said her immediate focus is serving Michigan and helping Democrats in the upcoming midterms.
Whitmer Says U.S. Is Ready For A Woman President, Disagrees With Michelle Obama
Gov Whitmer says America 'ready for a woman president,' contrasting Michelle Obama
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told NPR she believes the United States is ready to elect a woman president, offering a public contrast to recent remarks by former first lady Michelle Obama that Americans are not yet prepared for a woman in the White House.
Whitmer said she has "love" for Obama and does not want to be dismissive, but described a different view based on recent election results.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she believes America is ready for a woman president.(Getty Images)
"I think America is ready for a woman president," Whitmer said. "The question comes down to a choice between two people, and what we saw in this last election, while Kamala Harris didn't beat President Trump, we saw women get elected across the country."
She pointed to the growing number of women winning competitive races "up and down the ballot in hard, important states to win," saying that trend shows an appetite among voters for female leadership even if a woman has not yet reached the presidency.
Context And Reactions
Michelle Obama, speaking at the Brooklyn Academy of Music while promoting her book, said she believed Americans were "not ready" to elect a woman to the White House, citing the most recent presidential outcome as evidence. Obama added that many voters — particularly some men — still struggle with the idea of being led by a woman.
Former first lady Michelle Obama said Americans are "not ready" to elect a woman to the White House.
Pressed on whether gender was the decisive factor in the former vice president's loss, Whitmer said she did not think it was "just gender," indicating multiple factors shaped the result.
Whitmer's Plans And Political Focus
Whitmer is term-limited and cannot seek a third term as governor. She said she has no current plans to run for another office and has been concentrating on governing Michigan and supporting Democratic candidates ahead of the midterms.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she does not think former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump just because she is a woman.
On strategy, she emphasized practical campaigning and focusing on fundamentals: delivering government that improves people's lives, an approach she said helped her win in Michigan and could be replicated elsewhere.
Notes On Reported Examples
Whitmer referenced recent wins by women in competitive races at both the congressional and statewide levels, and cited Sen. Elissa Slotkin's 2024 victory as an example. (Reports that labeled other named figures as governors were corrected in this version to reflect their roles accurately.)
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