Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered [1] her final State of the State address Wednesday night, highlighting what she described as bipartisan achievements in education, housing, and healthcare while drawing measured contrasts with President Donald Trump’s administration.
The two-term Democratic governor, who is term-limited, focused heavily on affordability issues, aligning her remarks with themes expected to dominate the 2026 election cycle.
While she criticized President Trump’s tariff policies, she also thanked him for supporting a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in her only direct reference to the president.
Whitmer centered her address on unity and cooperation, drawing bipartisan applause from members of the Michigan House and Senate.
“No matter what comes our way, we will always have a way through because we will always have each other,” Whitmer said.
She acknowledged economic frustrations facing residents across the state.
“Right now, it can be hard to stay positive. It’s frustrating to just stay afloat financially, much less get ahead. Ugly rhetoric and rising partisanship, especially at the national level, has made it tempting to tune out and turn away. We’re all searching for a way forward, and the answer has been in front of us the whole time. It is us,” Whitmer said.
On education, Whitmer highlighted efforts to address Michigan’s literacy crisis.
The state currently ranks 44th in fourth-grade reading skills. She pointed to initiatives mandating dyslexia testing and investments in teacher training, tutoring, mental health programs, and classroom upgrades. Whitmer urged lawmakers to fund “free, full-day Pre-K for all,” support “proven” literacy instruction, and asked the next governor to “continue this work.”
Housing affordability was another major theme.
Whitmer entered the broader national debate over tariffs, arguing that trade policies were affecting construction costs.
“We rely on Canadian lumber and Mexican drywall to build homes,” Whitmer said, adding that tariffs were “further exacerbating our housing shortage.”
She encouraged increased housing construction and backed a state-level affordable housing tax credit.
“There are two more things we should do to build housing: One, demolish nonsensical construction requirements, and two, streamline zoning,” Whitmer said, drawing bipartisan applause.
Whitmer’s final major policy focus was healthcare affordability.
She called on Congress to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, advocated capping medical debt, and urged legislators to increase Medicaid funding.
Beyond her core policy priorities, Whitmer reiterated support for Michigan’s gay and transgender community, renewable energy initiatives, and gun control laws.
Although critical of tariffs, Whitmer thanked President Trump for bringing a new fighter mission to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, joking that it likely was not on the audience’s “bingo card.” She also pledged to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which she said had been blocked by the Trump administration.
Republican state Sen. Aric Nesbitt delivered the official rebuttal, sharply criticizing Whitmer’s record.
He accused the governor of having a “bad habit of saying all the right things and then doing all the wrong things.”
Nesbitt focused on Michigan’s literacy challenges and infrastructure issues, noting that “less than 10%” of Michigan’s roads have been fixed despite Whitmer’s campaign promise to “fix the damn roads.”
“By nearly every metric, Michigan is worse off today than when Governor Whitmer first took office. You deserve leaders who share your values and understand your struggle, and that’s why Republicans in the House and Senate are fighting every day so you and your family can make it in Michigan,” Nesbitt said.
He argued that Republican lawmakers are the ones “putting more money back in” residents’ pockets.
“We will end the Democrats’ green new scam that’s destroying our forests and farmland for solar panels and making it more expensive to heat your home. We will tackle housing, child care, and healthcare shortages by getting government out of the way and send a blowtorch to Whitmer’s bloated bureaucracy and crippling red tape to make Michigan more affordable,” Nesbitt said.
The Michigan Republican Party also responded to Whitmer’s address, describing it as “long on slogans, short on solutions.”
“Republicans in Michigan are committed to rebuilding this state, strengthening our economy, restoring public safety, empowering parents, and delivering real accountability. Governor Whitmer had another chance tonight to join us in that mission. Instead, she proved once again that her priority is partisan warfare, not the people of Michigan,” Michigan GOP Chairman Jim Runestad said.
Whitmer concluded her speech with the phrase “Big Gretch Out” as she stepped away from the podium for the final time in a State of the State address, closing a chapter on her tenure as Michigan’s governor amid ongoing speculation about her political future.