There’s a lot going on in the state of Michigan, and compounding that there’s a big election that assures new leadership in the top three offices. At the helm is Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has led the state over seven uneven years. 

Whitmer spoke to WDET about her plans after she leaves office and reflected on her time as governor. 

McNamara: I don’t want to focus on looking back but what was the weirdest thing you had to navigate?

Whitmer: A pandemic, we’ve had incredible weather challenges from floods to tornadoes that have taken the lives of Michiganders and taken their homes. We’ve had a plot to kidnap and to kill me. We have had to navigate righteous demonstrations for racial justice that played out and a number of communities across Michigan during the George Floyd year, and I think we’ve had incredible challenges that that we’ve had to navigate, and yet, I’m always reminding myself, my oath is to the people of Michigan. I’ve got to show up and fight to make sure that we deliver for people and stay focused on fixing things like roads and helping people keep money in their pockets, and that’s always kind of centered me, even with all the chaos in our environment right now. 

McNamara: And you know, providing for the people of Michigan. To that end, I have to give you some credit. You might not remember this, but last year at this time, people were talking about you holding the blue folder over your face in the Oval Office. You cracked the code, because in Trump’s second term, flattery will get you everywhere, I guess. So, is there more milk to be gotten from that bell cow? Can you bring more money to the state? What can we do to get more federal money flowing into the state of Michigan via the federal government? 

Whitmer: Well, I’m going to continue to work at it. The Trump administration, we’ve got a litany of differences, right? But at the end of the day, my job is to show up for the people of Michigan. And while that was a moment in the Oval Office, I was there to advocate for a new fighter mission at Selfridge, and yesterday I signed a bill that ensured that Michigan’s aerospace and defense sector is solid and is growing, but the linchpin is this fighter mission.

So the fact that we got this done with Donald Trump in the White House and me as the governor I think is a testament to the fact that if I stay focused on delivering for Michigan, I can find common ground with just about anybody on some really important things for our state, and that’s what this job is all about.

McNamara: Last year it was difficult finding common ground with Matt Hall, House Speaker, getting a budget deal done. It’s an election year this year, somehow the budget process is moving more smoothly. From your perspective, how is it shaping up? 

Whitmer: Well, it’s not unusual in an election year for the legislature to want to get home and campaign, so budgets sometimes do move faster in election years. I think there are lots of things that are difficult for Michiganders in the Michigan economy right now—the tariff chaos, and coupled with the Iran war, it’s tough—and so I think it’s very important that we deliver a budget on time that actually helps people keep money in their pockets and makes the critical investments in our workforce and our infrastructure, the things that impact Michiganders every day, and help them get ahead. So I can’t open up the Strait of Hormuz unilaterally, but I can deliver a budget on time that helps Michiganders get ahead and defray some of the costs that we’re all bearing, because of the chaos coming out of DC right now.

McNamara: Because of that chaos, there are federal cuts looming for your time out of office. Does Michigan need more revenue, aka taxes? 

Whitmer: I don’t think that there’s really a great hope of getting anything on that front done with a split legislature in an election year. That will be a question for the next set of leaders that come in January 1. 

McNamara: You tried. 

Whitmer: Yeah, and we were successful. We raised $2 billion for our road infrastructure, so I ran on fixing the damn roads. We can say yes, we actually got the biggest investment in that infrastructure in 40 years in the state. But I do think that it is going to be incumbent on the next set of leaders to deal with all the cuts that are coming from the Trump administration and the Republicans in DC, with that house bill one, the Big Beautiful Bill, whatever the hell you want to call it, we know that there is more stress coming on all those fronts because of the actions that they took last year. 

McNamara: You spent a lot of time and effort trying to build the state’s population and build the economic base for people to come here. How are you feeling about that? 

Whitmer: We have seen more people move into Michigan than out for the first time in decades. We see Detroit’s population growing three years in a row. There are a lot of good things happening. Yes, there’s more to do. There’s always more to do, but to make Michigan a place where our young people want to stay, where businesses can find the workforce that they need, where we have a growth mentality, is going to be a continuing effort, needs to be a continuing effort, no matter who follows me in this role. 

McNamara: Two years ago, at the Democratic National Convention, you told me, kind of talking post plans, you wanted to go visit some national parks. Are those plans made?  

Whitmer: They’re not made yet. I leave office January 1, so I’m gonna take a little break, but yeah, I think maybe next spring, summer, my husband and I and our two dogs will hit the road, and I’m looking forward to that. Although I have not driven in eight years, so state police are gonna have to take me out to the state police drag and teach me how to drive again. 

McNamara: There are no national parks in Iowa. Will you visit anyway? 

Whitmer: No! 

Editor’s Note: Iowa is the traditional first stop for any potential presidential candidate. The early nature of the Iowa caucuses make an early success there a springboard to a successful run.

With war brewing abroad, Michigan is looking at bolstering defenses close to home.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill Wednesday that provides $150 million in state money to support upgrades to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Southeast Michigan. 

Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters spoke to WDET about how the bill will strengthen the National Guard Base and his views on the war with Iran, as well as his upcoming retirement after almost two decades in office.

Peters: We’re looking forward to having that signing and you know this is a key element. We needed to have the state make this investment, $150-plus million dollars. But for your listeners, the really important exciting thing about it is that because of the seed money, we’re going to bring in nearly $800 million from the federal government, so we’re going to have the best Air National Guard base in the country. In fact, I had the general part of the Joint Chiefs say on the record that Selfridge will now be the finest Air National Guard base in the entire country, and I said, ‘thank you, that’s right. It will be.’

McNamara: Explain, for people who don’t really follow it, the strategic importance of Selfridge. 

Peters: It is absolutely strategic for national security, our geographic location, for one,  and when we think about INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command), a lot of the ways to get there is over the Arctic, and so having a base in the northern area is why a lot of the strategic bombers back in the day were in Michigan. We had two major air force bases for that, so it continues to be important.

But from a training aspect, we’re going to have the KC-46, which is the next generation tanker, replacing a very old platform out there, now. They’re going to be around for 40, 50, years. We’re going to have the F-15EX, which is the advanced fighter jet that will be working off that platform, and then most people don’t realize, but in Northern Michigan, when you head up into the Grayling area and over in the Alpena area, we have the largest training area for the military east of the Mississippi. So it’s a very large area, we got aircraft coming in from [all] around. We’ll team up with our aircraft from Selfridge and train, it just puts Michigan in a key location. When people think of national security, we’re going to be one of the places people think about in terms of bases in the United States. 

McNamara: How important is the national defense industry to the economy of southeast Michigan?  

Peters: Incredibly important. It’s getting more important and this helps actually drive that, too. So, there’s the economic driver. You have the driver of the fact the base is there, you have a lot of people there… we may even potentially have some active-duty folks that will be coming into that base as well. So, that’s an economic driver, but it’s really about advanced technology. Where are things going?

When people think of national security, we’re going to be one of the places people think about in terms of bases in the United States. 

Everybody knows we’re the place for manufacturing cars, but the aerospace industry is realizing if you know how to make cars, you can make aerospace components as well. In fact, one area that I’ve been spending a lot of time on now is trying to think of another aircraft squadron we can bring there, and those are called collaborative combat aircraft. Those are not crewed, there’s no person in it, but they’re controlled by an operator somewhere else, and actually those KC-46 tankers, they have capability, not just as a gas tank, they also have command and control capabilities. And you could see them commanding a squadron of collaborative aircraft, and then launching those aircraft forward. That’s another mission I think Selfridge could win, and that would definitely put us at the very cutting edge of advanced aerospace research. 

McNamara: We’re talking about this like it’s the future and eventuality. We’re also at war currently with Iran. What are the impacts on that for the average Michigander? 

Peters: Significant from an economic standpoint. We’re seeing it at the gas pump right now, but that inflation is all through because of energy prices that we’re paying higher prices at the stores and groceries because the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and it’s pretty outrageous that that was not secured at the beginning of this war, it tells me it was rushed, that we needed to secure. Everybody has known that, this is not a secret. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic place.

I served in the Navy. I was in that area. I remember standing on the shores of the United Arab Emirates. You could look across, you could just see a line of tankers going through a very tight area, choke point. The Navy knew how critical it was. They had plans to deal with it, and this is the question I asked. You know, they have plans. You have very detailed plans about how you deal with strategic places like that, but you need to prepare to actually execute that plan before you go to war. That didn’t happen, and in fact, I’ve raised this issue to folks in hearings. 

I’m on the Armed Services Committee. I said, I know you probably had plans. I learned how to do those plans in War College, and yet you had things like mine sweepers, which are essential. Your mine sweepers were in Japan when the war started. If you were prepared, the mine sweepers would have been near the straits, ready to go into action immediately. It takes weeks for them to get over there. That didn’t happen. I’m sure the president was advised by his military advisors that we’re not quite ready to do what you want us to do, and he pulled the trigger, literally pulled the trigger beforehand, and now we’re in a mess. 

McNamara: How do we get out of it? 

Peters: If you look at it from a military perspective, it’s difficult. It’s hard to clear mines unless you have a secure environment. You’re putting navy ships in a very constrained area. It’s a high-risk operation. So, militarily, it’s a lot easier to do that at the outset, the beginning, than trying to come back into it right now. And during this ceasefire, which is really a stalemate, the Iranians have been able to position more of their drone aircraft in the area, they’re going to be leases are public sources, they have more missile capabilities as well, so military, it’s tough, so it’s going to be negotiation, but President Trump put himself with his war of choice in a very difficult situation, and who’s actually paying for it? The American people are. People here in Michigan. We’re paying high prices. Just the war itself has been estimated, just from a military standpoint, so far well over $30 billion, and I think that’s underestimating it. That’s all the taxpayers are paying.

But then look at the impact of the entire global economy, and just our economy here in Michigan. What people are paying, you’ve got a third of the fertilizer goes through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s why food prices are going up dramatically. Farmers are scrambling to try to get fertilizer, and it’s a whole lot more expensive. The ripples through the economy are something that we’re going to be paying for for a long time, and so far, it’s a stalemate.

The nuclear material is still there, even though the president told the country he destroyed everything. Clearly, that wasn’t the case, and that material is still there. And now we have an economic crisis because of the Strait of Hormuz. So that’s where we are. The President created this mess. It’s not going to be easy to get out of it. 

The ripples through the economy are something that we’re going to be paying for for a long time.

McNamara: I mentioned you’ve been in public service for 35 plus years. You’re not yet 70, you’re not running for reelection, are you allowed to do that? 

Peters: Yes, I think so, and it’s a good thing. When I leave here in seven months, it’ll be 18 years in Congress, both in the House and Senate. I believe in what our founders said, that Congress was a place where you would go and serve, and then you go back to your private life, not spend your life in Congress. So, I don’t believe in spending my life in Congress, so I’ll go back to private life. I’m not going to retire, going to still stay very active and be part of public policy, but I don’t need to be in the Senate. I think it’s time to pass the torch to the next generation. 

McNamara: So, this time next year, when it’s time for a motorcycle tour, are you going to have the entourage or is it just going to be you and the road? 

Peters: I am going to have one more entourage this summer, so in August we’re riding. My Harley’s getting ready to go, and we’re going to go to places all around the state, the places that I worked on. But I think… when you ride together, those are long-term friendships. So, I’m sure I’ll still have friends that I can ride with. 

McNamara: What’s your white whale? What’s something that you didn’t get done that you really wanted to during your time in Congress? 

Peters: Well, this has evolved over that time that I’m there, but I think this is the biggest thing that we’ve got to figure out, and that’s how we deal with AI, with what’s happening with artificial intelligence that I’ve been engaged in. 

I’ve engaged in cybersecurity for a long time. I chaired, and now am the ranking member, Homeland Security. So, cybersecurity is a big threat that I’ve been working on for all these years. That threat has just gotten a whole lot bigger with AI. I’m sure many of your listeners know about Mythos, the AI system that Anthropic put out, that could basically attack systems all across the country, make them vulnerable to cyber attack. It is absolutely frightening the power that this technology has. And Mythos is the first, but it’s not the last. And we’re going to see others coming out that we’ve got to stay ahead of, and the whole AI system, we’ve got to be thinking about how do we put guardrails, understand the power of AI to do incredibly wonderful things, but also know that there’s a downside to it, dual use, both from a military perspective and just cultural and economic, it’s going to be incredibly disruptive. How do we work that?

So, I’ve been working through that over the last few years, we got a lot more years to go to try to figure it out, but the problem is time is not on our side, because it’s moving so rapidly that if we don’t have a full court press on this, it’s going to get ahead of us, and it’ll be tough to put any kind of genie back in the bottle. 

McNamara: You said you’re not going to endorse essentially in the primary for your replacement in the Democratic Senate side, so I’m not going to impress you on it, but I’m going to ask you, what are the qualities that are needed, and let people read the tea leaves from there. 

Peters: I don’t know if you read the tea leaves, I think you should just be asking this question of all the candidates. Something that I’ve prided myself on is that I work across the aisle and find common ground, and you know the last three congresses I’ve passed more bills signed into law than any US senator. In fact, I even passed more laws signed into law when Donald Trump, in his second part of his first term. The Center for Effective Lawmaking, that really evaluates us on getting stuff done, which has said I’m the most effective senator. Trump actually signed more of my bills into law than any Republican senator. They said that’s never happened in the 50 years that they’ve been following this, and I think that’s the way you need to govern, especially a purple state like Michigan.

Michigan, we have the broad spectrum of politics and it can swing back and forth, and I’m blessed as a US senator to represent all of Michigan, not just the blue parts of it, the red parts too. And so, you’ve got to figure out ways to work and just solve the problems that we face as a country. And what I’ve seen over the years is that people can’t get out of campaign mode. Campaign mode is about hyper partisanship. I ran the Democratic Senate campaign committee for two cycles. I know what that’s about, and it’s bare fisted, and you got to fight. But once you get elected, you have to govern now, and you have to figure out how do we solve problems that the American people want to see solved. They want to see their democracy actually working to help them each and every day, and if we don’t do that, then we start losing something very special. When I’m in campaigns, I’m campaign Gary, then I turn off the campaign Gary, and now I’m governing Gary. 

I’m not in a campaign right now, so I can totally focus on trying to deal with these big issues like AI and Great Lakes protection and all the other things I care about, but that’s what we’re going to need, someone who’s willing to turn off the partisanship and turn on the problem solving in a common sense way. 

Governor Whitmer signed an executive order allowing higher vapor fuels to be sold in southeast Michigan until July 1. The move allows the cheaper winter gas blend to be sold for the next three months. 

High vapor gas helps cars run smoothly when it’s cold outside. It’s less expensive to make, but worse for the environment. 

Whitmer hopes allowing it will lower prices at the pump amid the ongoing war in Iran. 

But GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says there’s no guarantee that the higher vapor mix will make it to consumers. 

“Even with a waiver… refineries have generally already made a transition over to cleaner… more expensive blends of gasoline for the summer. So even if Michigan allows it… that doesn’t mean refineries are going to go back to producing something different.” 

If refineries do revert to winter blend, DeHaan says it could lower gas prices by around 5 to 7 cents per gallon. 
 
AAA says Michigan drivers are paying an average of $3.86 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas this morning. That’s about 20 cents cheaper than it was last week. 

Additional headlines for April 3, 2026

DPSCD seeks student influencers

Detroit Public School Community District is now employing Student Influencers in their on going effort to grow enrollment. 23 students will be hired to share positive messages about their schools.

To apply, current students must make a 60 second Reel about themselves and submit it via direct message to DPSCD’s Instagram account. For more information visit the district’s account on Instagram, under the handle detroitk12.

Detroit Music Hall screens ‘Dream Girls’

This weekend Detroit Music Hall will host a special screening of the movie “Dream Girls.” It’s the 20th anniversary of the film releasing and the 45th anniversary of the Broadway show.

The screening will be hosted by actress Raven-Symone and will also feature special live performance from Jennifer Holiday, who played Effie in the Broadway performance.

Tickets are on sale now at the Music Hall Box Office and Ticketmaster. The screenings will be on April 4 at 7:00 p.m. and April 5 at 3:00 p.m. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.