Michigan: Gov. Whitmer Seeks Compromise with Trump, Claims Red States Aim To Undermine Auto Industry

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally before Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris takes to the stage to speak on October 18, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Harris will also be campaigning in Lansing, Oakland County, and Detroit over the next two days as Michigan is considered a key battleground state holding 14 electoral votes.

Michigan Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged a new beginning with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, citing the looming threat of Republican-led competitors to “steal” her state’s vital auto sector.

In remarks at the Detroit Auto Show, Whitmer (D-Mich.), who is widely regarded by political analysts as a “leading candidate” for the Democrat presidential nominee position in 2028, urged her Republican “friends” and “fellow Democrats” to “find common ground.”

“In the Whitmer house, compromise was a good thing,” the 53-year-old Democrat governor said. “I just want to get things done. Things that make a real difference in Michiganders’ lives.”

“Michiganders elected both me and Donald Trump twice, just two years apart,” she added. “The people expect us to find common ground, especially when it comes to lowering costs, creating good-paying manufacturing jobs, boosting research and innovation and cutting red tape.”

Whitmer won re-election by a margin of double digits in 2022.

On Wednesday, Whitmer admitted that she needed Republican help during a “serious moment.”

“Right now, the future of the entire auto industry is at stake. The very core of Michigan’s economy is on the line,” she declared.

“Michigan is still the number one auto state, but others have gained grounds, especially in the South. They want to steal this vital industry away from us,” she continued. “These other states are using every tool at their disposal. Some of them are just writing blank checks to companies. That’s bad policy.”

Republican governors have been actively luring heavy industry from the Rust Belt for years, offering a business-friendly, low-tax climate to entice companies to locate there.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and incoming DOGE leader, has also moved some of the company’s operations to red states like Texas.

“Make no mistake, other states and nations like China are gunning for Michigan auto jobs,” Whitmer claimed. “For America to win, we must all recognize that all of us are on the same team. Both our state and national economy depend on our ability to work together.”

With tariffs as his primary tool, Trump has expressed a strong desire to shield American industries from international competition, notably those in China.

Whitmer, who vigorously supported Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, walked a tightrope when it came to tariffs, arguing that the auto industry might suffer as a result.

“I’m not opposed to tariffs outright. We cannot treat them like a one-size-fits-all solution, and we certainly shouldn’t use them to punish our closest trading partners. Doing so hurts all of us, damaging supply chains, slowing production loads and cutting jobs on both sides,” she said.

Although she hasn’t spoken with Trump yet, the governor of the Wolverine State previously told the Associated Press that she plans to do so in the upcoming weeks.

She listed five strategies to support the auto industry, such as lowering payroll taxes, increasing development and housing investments, and enhancing infrastructure.

“I don’t want to pretend we’re always going to agree, but I will always seek collaboration first. I won’t go looking for fights. I won’t back down from them either. So I’m not here to play games,” she said.

Whitmer actively dispelled reports that she was a candidate for Harris’ seat during the 2024 campaign and had issued a warning against a second Trump presidency. Whitmer’s future is also uncertain since she is term-limited and cannot run for governor for an additional four years in 2026.

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