Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appears to be easing her response to the COVID-19 pandemic as her race for reelection next year heats up.
Whitmer rose to national prominence last year as she implemented some of the country’s most stringent COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of the pandemic. For a time, she was considered as a running mate for Joe Biden during his 2020 campaign.
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But her approval rating in the state has plummeted since last year. In September 2020, a poll by the Glengariff Group found 59% of voters approve of Whitmer’s job performance. That number dropped to 50% in May and dropped again this month to 48%. The polling shows that dip comes primarily from independent voters, who typically decide Michigan’s elections.
Other polls in the state show an increasingly tight race between Whitmer and Republican opponent James Craig.
This week, Whitmer and the Legislature agreed to a budget proposal ahead of their Oct. 1 deadline that includes a provision prohibiting local health officials from implementing school mask mandates, leaving those decisions to local school boards. The budget would also prohibit public agencies in the state from requiring vaccinations for their employees.
Whitmer has indicated the proposal is still under review for specifics by her staff, and she may exercise her line-item veto on the provision.
However, Whitmer has also not re-implemented a statewide mask mandate despite a rise in COVID cases in Michigan.
Republican strategist Jason Roe told the Washington Examiner that Whitmer “put in place draconian policies when she wasn’t running.”
“Now that she’s running for reelection, she’ll defer to the locals,” Roe said.
Roe added that while COVID restrictions are just one issue facing Michigan voters, if Whitmer continues to lose ground with independents, it could be “lethal” for her reelection bid.
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In a statement this week touting the budget deal, Whitmer said she was “thrilled that the legislature and I were able to come together to agree on a bipartisan budget.”
“Our collaboration is a testament to what’s possible when we work together and put our families, communities, and small businesses first,” Whitmer said.
