Whitmer disputes report she told Biden team Michigan was lost

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on Monday dismissed reports that she told a President Biden campaign aide that her state is likely lost after last week’s debate, hitting back that Michigan is still in play for Democrats.

“Anyone who claims I would say that we can’t win Michigan is full of s‑‑‑,” she wrote on social media, attached to a Biden campaign video featuring the governor.

Biden’s first 2024 debate performance raised alarms among some Democrats and supporters, underscoring concerns about his age that have long plagued Biden. It's led to a party-wide discussion about whether Biden should continue as the party's nominee. Almost half of Democrats in a new poll said Biden should allow a different candidate to take the party’s nomination.

Whitmer is a top target among those hoping to replace Biden on the ticket.

The governor told the Biden campaign that she’s not interested, Politico reported. But she also told them that she believed the debate may have sunk their chances at winning Michigan.

Whitmer denied the comments in a statement to Politico on Monday, claiming she never said Michigan was out of reach.

“I am proud to support Joe Biden as our nominee and I am behind him 100 percent in the fight to defeat Donald Trump,” she wrote. “Not only do I believe Joe can win Michigan, I know he can because he’s got the receipts.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are also popular names floated for replacing Biden, as well as Vice President Harris. 

Biden went into the debate trailing former President Trump in polls in a number of swing states. Overall, Trump has a 0.9 percentage point lead over the president in The Hill/Decision Desk HQ average of national polls. In Michigan, Trump has a 1.3 percentage point lead on average.