This article will answer every question you have about Gretchen Whitmer. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about her.
- What does Whitmer do for a living?
- Who are Whitmer’s parents and siblings?
- What are Whitmer’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Whitmer married or does she have a girlfriend/ boyfriend?
- Does Whitmer have any children?
- Where is Whitmer now?
- How tall is Whitmer?
- How much money does Whitmer earn?
- What is Whitmer’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Gretchen Whitmer?
Gretchen Esther Whitmer is an American eminent lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. Being a member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015. In the 1990s, she ran unsuccessfully for the state House of Representatives before being elected in 2000. In 2006, she became a state senator, a position she kept until term limits forced her to step down in 2015.
From 2011 to 2015, she was the Senate’s first female Democratic leader. In 2013, she gained national attention for a floor speech during a debate on abortion in which she shared her experience of being sexually assaulted. For six months, she was the country prosecutor for Ingham County. In the 2018 gubernatorial election, she was elected governor thus defeating Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette.
As a governor, she has focused on healthcare and infrastructure. In February 2020, she was selected to give the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s 2020 State of the Union Address. The Federal Bureau of Investigation thwarted a militia group’s kidnapping plot against her on October 8, 2020. Since January 2021, she has served as one of the vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee. Moreover, she is running for reelection against Republican nominee Tudor Dixon.
How Old Is Gretchen Whitmer?
She is 51 years old as of August 2022, having been born on August 23, 1971, in Lansing, Michigan, U.S. Whitmer shares her birthdate with celebrities such as; Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), Indiana Massara, Lil Yachty, Braylon Hall, River Phoenix (1970-1993), and many more.
Gretchen Whitmer Family
Who are Gretchen Whitmer’s Parents?
She was born to Richard Whitmer (Father) and Sherry Whitmer (Mother). Her parents are both attorneys.
Does Gretchen Whitmer have Siblings?
She has two younger siblings. However, her siblings’ names and whereabouts are not mentioned on the internet.
Gretchen Whitmer Education
She received her high school education at Forest Hills Central High School. After high school, she attended Michigan State University where she earned a BA degree in communications in 1993. Later she earned a Juris Doctor in 1998 from The Michigan State University College of Law.
Gretchen Whitmer Marital Status
She is married to the love of her life Dr. Marc Mallory. They married in 2011. However, she was previously married to Gary Shrewsbury but they divorced.
Gretchen Whitmer Kids
She has five kids. Three sons with her husband’s previous relationship and two daughters of her own with her husband Marc. However, her kids’ names are not mentioned on the internet.
Gretchen Whitmer State Legislature Career
A Career in the House of Representatives
In the 1990s, she originally ran for the Michigan House of Representatives but was unsuccessful. In 2000, she tried again and was elected to represent the 23rd legislative district. And was reelected in 2002 and 2004.
A State Senate Career
She won a special election in March 2006, to the Michigan State Senate replacing Virg Bernero who had been elected mayor of Lansing in November 2005. In November, she was elected to a full term and reelected in 2010. The next year, her Democratic colleagues unanimously chose her to be the Senate Democratic Leader. This made her the first woman to lead a party caucus in the Senate. However, due to term limits, she was unable to run for reelection in 2014 and left office in 2015. She received national recognition in 2013 when she discussed her experience of being sexually assaulted.
A Governorship Career
Elections (2018)
Whitmer announced on January 3, 2017, that she would run in the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial race. On August 7, 2018, she became the Democratic nominee for governor of Michigan. She won all 83 counties in the state in the Democratic primary. In the November 6election, she defeated Schuette by nearly a 10-point margin.
2022
She has announced that she will seek reelection in 2022.
A Career in Political Positions
Abortion
The anti-abortion groups criticized Whitmer during the COVID-19 pandemic for allowing abortion procedures to continue in Michigan, stating that they were “life-sustaining”. In September 2021, she began working with the state legislature to repeal a 90-tear-old law that banned abortion in Michigan. This was to preserve abortion rights in the state in case Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Cannabis Legislation
As a candidate for governor, in 2018, she spoke at Hash Bash to endorse Proposal 1 to legalize recreational cannabis in Michigan. As a governor in 2019, she reappeared at Hash Bash via a recorded video message saying “We worked hard, we got it done, we made recreational marijuana legal in the state of Michigan”.
Taxation
She proposed increasing the gasoline tax by 45 cents per gallon to fund road repairs in March 2019. However, it was not enacted. And in 2021, she proposed a new 6% income tax on businesses that organize as partnerships, limited liability companies, and S corporations.
Gretchen Whitmer Height and Measurements
Adding up to her well-curved and beautiful body, she stands at a height of 5ft 8inches (1.73m) and a weight of 65kg (143lbs).
Gretchen Whitmer’s Salary and Net Worth
She has an annual salary of $159,300 and has an unknown net worth.
