WASHINGTON — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Sunday that she would back “any Democratic governor in the country” against Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio in 2028, and that a woman could be the party’s best choice, while again declining to say whether she will run herself.
“I would put my money on any Democratic governor in the country against [Vice President] JD Vance or [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio in 2028,” Whitmer said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” according to NBC’s account of the interview.
Asked whether a woman could be the best choice for Democrats, she answered, “I do,” NBC reported. The network noted that former first lady Michelle Obama said in 2025 that the country “ain’t ready” to elect a woman president.
‘Never say never’
Whitmer, a two-term governor who cannot seek reelection, has given mixed signals about her own plans. She said earlier that she “will not be one of them in 2028,” then later added, “I guess I should know better to never say never,” according to NBC.
On Sunday she again sidestepped the question. “When I exit office … I’m going to take a little time off and figure out what I want to do next, so I’ve got nothing new to share with you, unfortunately,” she said.
Other Democrats widely discussed as potential 2028 candidates include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, NBC noted. None has declared a candidacy. An Inquisitor review of Federal Election Commission filings, published today, found no nationally prominent figure in either party among the hundreds of people who have registered 2028 presidential campaigns.
A stop in Ohio’s governor’s race
Whitmer used part of the interview to promote Democrat Amy Acton in Ohio’s race for governor against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. She called a Ramaswamy campaign ad featuring Acton’s mother “absolutely abhorrent,” NBC reported, adding that the ad had drawn criticism from members of both parties, including Republican Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio. The Ramaswamy campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
The money behind her political operation
Whitmer’s federal leadership PAC, Fight Like Hell PAC, gives her a national fundraising vehicle should she want one. Its filings with the FEC show the committee has raised $1,551,677 and spent $1,868,281 in the 2025-26 cycle, ending Sept. 30 with $2,349,935 in cash.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Receipts, cycle to date | $1,551,677 |
| Disbursements, cycle to date | $1,868,281 |
| Cash on hand, Sept. 30, 2026 | $2,349,935 |
| Receipts, July 1 – Sept. 30 | $129,838 |
| Disbursements, July 1 – Sept. 30 | $358,235 |
The figures come from the PAC’s October quarterly report and its FEC committee page. In the latest quarter, the committee spent nearly three times what it raised.
Leadership PACs are a common tool for politicians weighing national runs, and the Inquisitor has tracked the committees of other potential 2028 contenders. The FEC requires anyone who raises or spends more than $5,000 for a federal campaign to register as a candidate; Whitmer has not filed as a presidential candidate.
Fight Like Hell PAC, Whitmer’s office and the Acton campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.
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