Michigan government: Nessel, Benson, and Whitmer make political history

Catherine Engstrom-Hadley
Staff Writer

For the first time in state history, Michigan will have a female governor, secretary of state and attorney general, held by Gretchen Whitmer, Jocelyn Benson and Dana Nessel respectively.

“We want our government to reflect the population, we want a wide array of representatives,” said Kristen Hernandez of EMILY’s list, a political action committee that aims to help elect pro-choice Democratic female candidates to office.

The landscape of government is shifting, and many people expect this trend to continue.

“We are seeing people from unconventional backgrounds decide to run, from teachers to doctors who decide to run politically,” said Hernandez.

Women won political races all over the country this year, but the  road is a hard one, according to Hernandez.

“Women face lots of institutional hurdles,” said Hernandez. “Media coverage, even the recent coverage of Elizabeth Warren asking if she is likeable enough to run, the institutional sexism and racism are a hurdle.”

In her inauguration speech in Lansing this January, Nessel spoke about her desire to have a government that worked for the people.

“I want a government that really cares about the people, a government that cares equally about all people,” Nessel said.

Nessel is widely known for her work in 2013 getting a Michigan judge to strike down the marriage equality ban a year before the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in. Nessel is also the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be voted into office in Michigan.

Governor Whitmer won against former attorney general Bill Schuette, taking 52 percent of the vote.

“Whitmer ran on issues that will continue to matter, like job creation and infrastructure,” said Hernandez. “These aren’t one and done issues, these are continuing problems that need work.”

One recurring issue that Whitmer pushed while running was her “Fix the Damn Roads” campaign, pledging to upgrade the bridges, roads and water systems. According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, over 41 percent of Michigan roads are in poor condition. Once a roadway is considered to be in poor condition it needs to be completely replaced, said the Council.

Jocelyn Benson ran for secretary of state with a “30-minute guarantee” campaign, which pledged to minimize wait times at Secretary of State branches. Her campaign stressed the importance of protecting safe and fair elections. Benson is a CEO of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, a nonprofit organization that provides leadership training and public awareness campaigns to help fight racism and advocate for change.

“I am ready to make us a national leader in fair and accessible elections,” Benson said during her inauguration speech.

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