Michigan Gov. Whitmer Slams DeSantis' Governing Style 😂

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Sunday that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' governing style in Florida is "incredibly destructive."

In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," Whitmer called out DeSantis for waging culture wars. DeSantis has ushered in legislation to prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade; and he has declared his stance against teachings of critical race theory, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

"I don't really know Ron DeSantis, so it's hard for me to say anything real substantive," Whitmer said. "I'll say this: When I took my oath of office, I took an oath to be the governor for all of the people of Michigan. I don't wage culture wars; I fight culture wars, because I'm focused on solving problems.

"I think it's incredibly destructive when people just try to pit others against one another, stoke fear. I think that's a really destructive way to lead."

Whitmer and DeSantis won reelection in November by wide margins in states that usually have competitive gubernatorial races. DeSantis is considered a possible candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, although he has yet to declare his intentions. Whitmer said she has no intention to run and will back President Joe Biden, should he chose to run again.

Without addressing DeSantis directly, Whitmer said she doesn't like politicians who use fear and misinformation to advance their political agenda.

"I think that there are people who are out there that stoke fear and anger and misinformation to help themselves politically," she said. "I'm not saying who I think falls into that category. I'm just saying that's not how I operate. And every governor takes an oath to serve all the people in their state, whether they voted for them or not. And that's what should drive every decision — whether it's the budget you write, to the bills that you sign into law, to the rhetoric that you use: the people you share stages with."

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