Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (D.) said Friday her state is "no longer winnable for Biden" following the president's dismal performance in last week’s debate, according to Politico.
In a call to Biden campaign chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, Whitmer reaffirmed her commitment to President Joe Biden’s reelection bid but expressed concerns that the campaign was now much more difficult, according to a Democratic operative familiar with the call. She also disavowed calls for her to replace Biden on the ballot.
Thursday’s presidential debate led to an onslaught of calls from big-money donors, media platforms, and party leaders for Biden to step aside. Whitmer sits atop a shortlist of potential Biden substitutes, alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Michigan governor told O’Malley Dillon she was not behind the "Draft Gretch" chatter.
Biden faces an uphill battle against Donald Trump in Michigan’s general election. In February’s Democratic primary, upwards of 100,000 Michigan Democrats voted "uncommitted" in protest against Biden’s support of Israel, part of the "Listen to Michigan" campaign backed by "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.).
Experts warn a boycott of similar size by Michigan’s Arab-American population in November’s election could cost Biden the state. Trump lost to Biden by around 154,000 votes in Michigan’s 2020 race.
The Democratic National Committee held a call Saturday afternoon with party insiders in hopes of assuaging concerns about Biden’s candidacy but barely addressed the debate at all, according to DNC member Joe Salazar.
"There were a number of things that could have been said in addressing the situation. But we didn’t get that. We were being gaslit," Salazar told the Associated Press.
The Democratic National Convention is set to take place Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.