Whitmer 'just not sure what to expect' of Dems in Michigan voting uncommitted over Biden
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said Sunday she is “not sure” what will happen in her state’s Democratic primary amid a push by some Democrats urging voters to vote uncommitted over President Biden.
“Well, I'm not sure what we're going to see on Tuesday, to tell you the truth,” Whitmer said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about the push.
The effort is being spearheaded by progressive groups and Arab American grassroots organizations in the state ahead of the primary elections on Tuesday, with many of them citing the Biden administration’s refusal to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war as the reason. When asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” if she expects a “sizable portion” of the vote going to uncommitted, Whitmer said she was not sure what was going to happen but urged voters to select Biden.
“Dana, I'm just not sure what to expect,” Whitmer said. “I think this is our first time going this early in the process. There are a lot of pressures. And you never know with the weather — there are a lot of different things that can impact what happens on Tuesday.”
“I do know that we have got about nine months until the general election, and we are taking Michigan very seriously, as they should. Michigan's always a state where the election is close,” she added.
She emphasized that while Michigan will see “differences of opinion” in the Democratic primary, any vote not for Biden in the general election is a vote for former President Trump.
“A second Trump term would be devastating, not just on fundamental rights, not just on our democracy here at home, but also when it comes to foreign policy,” she said. “This was a man who promoted a Muslim ban. This is, I think, a very high-stakes moment. I am encouraging people to cast an affirmative vote for President Biden.”
“I understand the pain that people are feeling. And I will continue to work to build bridges with folks in all of these communities, because they're all important to me, they're all important to Michigan, and I know they're all important to President Biden as well,” she added.
Biden does not have any major challengers in the Democratic primary, but he can’t afford to lose key votes in the swing state of Michigan in the general election. He carried Michigan in 2020 with about 50.6 percent of the vote.
According to polling averages from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Trump has a 3-point lead in a hypothetical matchup in Michigan.