Michigan Gov. Whitmer to deliver final State of the State address in February
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to deliver her final State of the State address next month ahead of the 2026 mid-term election, her office said on Friday.
The Democratic governor, who is finishing out her second term, will speak at 7 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the Michigan House Chambers in front of both the state House and Senate. Whitmer is expected to discuss her time in office and her proposals on creating jobs, lowering costs, continuing investments in education and literacy and building housing.
"I look forward to delivering my 2026 State of the State Address where I will lay out my plan to build on our years of strong, bipartisan progress and strategic, fiscally responsible leadership," Whitmer said in a statement. "By working across the aisle, we have cut taxes by a $1 billion for seniors and working families, fed every student free school meals, built thousands of new homes, and made good on my promise to fix the damn roads. I look forward to sharing my vision for how we continue getting things done so everyone can build a brighter future in Michigan."
With Whitmer reaching her term limit, a new governor will take over after the November 2026 election. The list of candidates has grown in recent months, with former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Congressman John James throwing their hats in the ring.
Whitmer's running mate, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, announced his bid for governor but dropped out to run for Michigan Secretary of State.
For nearly eight years, Whitmer has been outspoken about fixing Michigan roads, with the slogan, "Fix the damn roads," at the forefront of her tenure. She signed a road funding bill in 2025 that will invest $2 million annually.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she clashed with Republican lawmakers over her executive orders to limit the spread of the virus. Her handling of the pandemic also caught the attention of then-President Trump, who called her "That woman from Michigan." In her speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Whitmer called Mr. Trump "That man from Mar-a-Lago."
Whitmer has since met with Mr. Trump on multiple occasions after he was reelected, discussing tariffs, jobs and the auto industry.
In 2020, Whitmer was the subject of a kidnapping plot by a group of men who disapproved of her COVID-19 executive orders. Two of the men, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., were convicted and sentenced to more than 15 years in prison.
Whitmer was reelected in 2022, beating GOP candidate Tudor Dixon.
Note: The video above previously aired on Jan. 15, 2026.