The Democratic frontrunner has dropped out of the race for Michigan governor before she ever really entered it.
Wednesday, East Lansing Senator Gretchen Whitmer announced on Facebook that she will not seek the Democratic nomination.
Senator Whitmer was not in her office. She was not in her seat on the floor. In fact, she quietly walked out the back door rather than take reporters' questions on this major decision to get out.
"I cannot be the Democratic leader, a great mom and wage that fight in 2014 due to the age of my kids," Whitmer explained in a video.
With daughters who are nine and ten at home and a new husband with three kids of his own, the longtime Democratic frontrunner for governor decided it was not the time for her to do this.
Democrat Bob Emerson got a text message that she was out.
"I told her it was good for her, probably not good for us. I think Gretchen would be a terrific candidate, but I also know she's trying to figure out how to make a family work with a new marriage," he said.
So now what? Former candidate Virg Bernero was prepared to back Whitmer. He'll go back on the list.
Also on the list is Congressman Gary Peters, former Secretary of State candidate Jocelyn Benson, and consultant Dennis Denno says his former boss, Congressman Mark Schauer, will be in the mix, too.
"It adds some urgency to find a candidate. It's disappointing because she would've been a great candidate for governor, and I think it just starts us anew," Denno told me.
So what might have been for Ms. Whitmer will not be, at least not in 2014.
Monday, June 17 2013 7:25 AM EDT2013-06-17 11:25:47 GMT
Since the Tea Party is such an amorphous group with no political center of gravity, it's hard to get your arms around how much support Gov. Rick Snyder had the first time he ran.
Since the Tea Party is such an amorphous group with no political center of gravity, it's hard to get your arms around how much support Gov. Rick Snyder had the first time he ran.
Thursday, June 13 2013 10:35 PM EDT2013-06-14 02:35:56 GMT
The Republican-led Michigan House late Thursday voted to make hundreds of thousands of more low-income adults eligible for Medicaid.
The Republican-led Michigan House late Thursday voted to make hundreds of thousands of more low-income adults eligible for Medicaid, sending the legislation across the Capitol to a chamber where its future may be less uncertain.
Thursday, June 13 2013 6:15 PM EDT2013-06-13 22:15:19 GMT
Michigan's attorney general says the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts is not vulnerable to being sold to pay off any of the city's debt during a municipal bankruptcy.
Michigan's attorney general says the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts is not vulnerable to being sold to pay off any of the city's debt during a municipal bankruptcy.
Tuesday, June 11 2013 8:27 AM EDT2013-06-11 12:27:49 GMT
One can only wonder what might have happened had all these White House messes unfolded as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama dashed for the finish line last November.
One can only wonder what might have happened had all these White House messes unfolded as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama dashed for the finish line last November.
Monday, June 10 2013 8:07 AM EDT2013-06-10 12:07:34 GMT
For obvious reasons nobody in the capitol press corps would ever admit this publicly. But if you applied a little truth serum, some would begrudgingly concede that Gov. Rick Snyder is a master at staying on message.
For obvious reasons nobody in the capitol press corps would ever admit this publicly. But if you applied a little truth serum, some would begrudgingly concede that Gov. Rick Snyder is a master at staying on message.
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