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Michigan Matters Spotlight: Candidate Gretchen Whitmer on the Governor's Race

 

The general election is still nine months away, and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gretchen Whitmer is working overtime in her bid to become Michigan's next governor. Whitmer, the only female candidate from either party running for the state's top elected job, visited the "Michigan Matters" set and talked about the race. She launched her campaign in January 2017, saying she was frustrated by what she saw taking place in Lansing, or more specifically, what wasn't getting done. She talked about her many conversations with Michigan residents the past year and how her campaign hopes to address "kitchen table" issues many mentioned to her.

The funding of education was a critical area she thought needed to be addressed. And she talked about the need for regional transportation in Metro Detroit and how Amazon referenced it when it did not include Detroit among its finalists for its second headquarters.

The roundtable of Denise Ilitch, Charlie Beckham, and Randy Richardville then vetted the governor's race. Richardville and Whitmer both served in top jobs in Lansing and are friends. Richardville, a GOP, has not announced who he is supporting in the governor's race. He offered his opinion on Whitmer's challenge to overcome before she could win. Beckham, who works for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan,  didn't mince words about Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson who seemingly flipped his support about the RTA and willingness to put a ballot measure before his voters.

In his State of the County speech Wednesday night, Patterson stunned many including Duggan and Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, with his new position on RTA.

The roundtable also discussed Gov. John Engler's role and challenges as the new interim president of MSU amid the Dr. Larry Nasser abuse scandal involving hundreds of young women.

Watch MICHIGAN MATTERS Sunday at 11:30 on CBS 62.

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