Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) made clear the high stakes of her state in the presidential election this November, as Michigan could be the tipping point delivering the election for Vice President Harris.
Whitmer told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday that she’s “concerned” about Democrats’ chances of winning Michigan in November, but that she is fully backing Harris and thinks she can carry the state.
“Michigan’s always going to be a battleground. Same with Pennsylvania, same with Wisconsin. You cannot take any of these states for granted,” she said. “The road to the White House goes through these three states, and that’s why I think it’s so important that we have a huge presence.”
“And what we’re seeing in Michigan on the ground, I can tell you I’ve seen the campaign offices early last week, people are calling to volunteer. People are starting to make contributions,” she continued. “I mean, we’re really seeing the surge and energy.”
Whitmer said she’s seen great turnout from Harris supporters at events she has attended for the vice president. At a recent event alongside Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Whitmer said more than 1,500 people showed up to a rally expecting only hundreds.
“I mean it’s flattering, but we’re not the principals and yet we’re seeing this great excitement around the Harris campaign,” she said. “So I’m fired up, but I’m also sober. This is going to go down to the wire and in most of these states, and we can’t take any person or any vote for granted.”
Harris is neck and neck with former President Trump nationally and in key swing states, according to recent polling. While the vice president has gained on President Biden’s position since joining the race, it still appears to be a dead heat.
A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll published Tuesday found Harris with an 11-point lead in Michigan, which is by far the largest of the campaign. The same poll found Harris with a narrow 2-point lead in Wisconsin and trailing by 4 points in Pennsylvania.