by
Gov. Whitmer
If you're Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and you have presidential ambitions, this latest factoid could haunt you on the campaign trail.
Michigan maintained the second-worst unemployment rate among the 50 states in May, despite the state's official jobless percentage improving slightly, The Detroit News reports, citing data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reporter Craig Mauger writes:
Michigan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate moved from 5.5% in April to 5.4% in May, the third straight month that Michigan ranked 49th among the 50 states. Only Nevada, at 5.5%, had a higher unemployment rate in May. The national unemployment rate held steady at 4.2% last month.
Michigan's jobless percentage had generally been trending upward for about two years before the decrease in May.
Pollster Ed Sarpolus, executive director of Target Insyght in Lansing, said that if Whitmer has plans to run for president, she needs to go on the offensive now and blame President Trump for the bad numbers.
"She needs to show this downward trend in employment is a result of actions taken since our good friend Donald Trump became president. 'He took away my power as governor to ensure Michigan’s growth, with tariffs and cuts to programs and grants.'"
"She needs to start now with a 'Thank You Tour' around the state, saying, 'Thank you, Donald Trump, for hurting Michigan.'"
If she runs, Whitmer will also come under intense scrutiny over whether she delivered on her two-term promise to "fix the damn roads."
Whitmer is term-limited and will complete her second term in 2026. The presidential race is in 2028.
She has yet to formally announce her intentions in the race, but it is widely expected she'll run.
