Following her victory in the recent election against Republican challenger Tudor Dixon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered a celebration speech at the Motor City Casino in Detroit on Nov. 9.

Whitmer: “I told you four years ago that we would focus on the kitchen table issues – drinking water, affordable healthcare, education, and of course, fixing the damn roads. What I did not anticipate, which none of us could have, were the historic challenges we would face over the four years.

“Over the next four years, let’s build a Michigan where every person is treated with dignity, can enjoy their personal freedoms and chart their own path toward prosperity.

“I promise to be a governor for all of Michigan. I promise to work with anyone who wants to get things done and compete and win against anyone. We’re gonna move this state forward, and I am excited about the work we will continue to do together.

“So, I thank all of you for a great opportunity ahead of us. Michigan’s future is bright, and we are about to step on the accelerator.”

With democrats now in control of the State House and the Senate, Whitmer and Lieutenanet Governor Gilchrist said they’re focused on continuing the progress they’ve made over the last four years and making education more accessible as a path to a better future. 

Gilchrist: “We talk about the foundation we laid with making higher education more affordable for four-year colleges, for making community colleges and skills training tuition-free available. We want to build on that progress because that makes more space for more people to see their role in their place in the future of the economy in the state of Michigan.

“This is about making the government more accountable and more effective. That’s what Proposal 1 was about — it was about making sure everyone has free, flexible access to democratic process.

“Proposal 3 was about letting every person in Michigan find their family, their future as they see fit and not have the government get in their way of choices. We really think that frankly represents our values here, and we want to be able to get things done and be able to dictate how we do it.”

So, what kind of changes should we expect to see in Michigan under the Whitmer administration over the next four years?

Whitmer’s major campaign issues included energy and environment, which she outlined well before the election in her Michigan Healthy Climate Plan. This plan responded to the rapidly changing climate by establishing aims to cut climate pollution 28 percent by 2025 and 52 percent by 2030, in order to reach the target net-negative emissions.

During her campaign, she also emphasized the importance of recovering the economy and education in the state of Michigan following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whitmer: “Michiganders want leaders who stay focused on the fundamentals — not wage culture wars, but want to solve problems, get our economy on track, get our kids back on track. We’ve made great strides when it comes to investing in education, landing future economy-type jobs that can support a family.

“As we think about individualized tutoring, as we think about the possibility of repealing the retirement tax — these are the ways that we can help people get ahead that we’ve been focused on, and now I think we’re gonna have a much better shot at getting it done.”