Democrat Whitmer Ready To Counter State Of The Union Message

Democrats are putting Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the national stage tomorrow night to offer the party’s rebuttal of President  Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.  She’ll speak from East Lansing High School where her daughters are enrolled. This is seen as the Democrats attempts to solidify gains with female voters and as two men in their late 70s, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, lead national primary polls.

The selection of the governor for the talk has led to increased speculation that she could be a presidential running mate pick, though she has said she is not interested. Whitmer rarely mentions President Trump.  She’s been telling Democratic presidential candidates that Michigan voters are less focused on the president’s Twitter feed than on things like fixing roads and helping people get better-paying jobs. Democratic strategist Adrienne Elrod, a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, said “it’s hard to imagine a better person” to offer an alternate view of the nation from what the President offers.