Whitmer Goes Reflective In Final State Of State

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/25/2026) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used her final State of the State to reflect.

She reflected on the issues that still confront the state. She reflected on her legacy. Her own personal history. And where Michiganders, and by extension, Americans, are today.

Gone is the fight that marked her first years in office and the “if you don't do it, I'll do it myself” posture that marked her COVID-19 response or her bonding plan to “fix the damn roads.”

Whitmer didn't hammer on President Donald Trump. She gave him credit for committing the new fighter mission for Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and left it at that.

Instead, her call for unity was more implied than a forced proclamation, which made it more genuine. When the Democratic governor mentioned signing the cell phone ban, it was Republicans who gave her a standing ovation as Democrats fidgeted in their seats.

She gave House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) a high five for pushing a road funding plan last year. She gave Senate Minority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) a hug . . . just because.

Whether it's the exhaustion of holding the job during the COVID-19 pandemic, the realization that the power of the office diminishes in year eight, the weight of her father dying last week, her slow slide out of the national spotlight or a combination of all four, Whitmer's tone was even more relatable, more human and less spit-shine polished than speeches prior.

She didn't sound like someone preparing to run for president in 2028. She sounded like a friend.

“Right now, it can be hard to stay positive. It's frustrating to just stay afloat financially – let alone get ahead,” she said. "Ugly rhetoric and rising partisanship, especially at the national level, have made it tempting to tune out and turn away.

"Social media platforms that were supposed to bring us together have made us distrust and, in some cases, despise our fellow Americans. These forces – economic uncertainty, political division and toxic algorithms – work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness. That kindness is gullibility, that sincerity is for suckers. But that's wrong."

“We're all searching for a way forward, and the answer has been in front of us the whole time. It's us … We will always have each other.”

None of the three policy issues she brought up were partisan. Literacy, housing and the affordability of health care are issues Republicans and Democrats have already marked as priorities going into 2026.

She didn't mention Hall's big property tax cut plan. She didn't mention Senate Democrats' treasured Rx Kids program. There wasn't a single instance where she mentioned, by name, the work of a Democratic legislator and didn't mention the work of a Republican legislator.

Even her legacy-building accomplishments stuck to the benign numbers showing a better economy, better roads and more education funding. She didn't dwell on COVID-19 responses, Line 5 or any other hot-button wedge issue. Instead of talking about transgender girls in sports, she said to “our gay and trans neighbors, family and friends: You belong. You matter.”

Whitmer didn't need the presence of gold medal Olympians to get lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to rise and clap together as Trump did in his State of the Union Tuesday night. Whitmer got both sides to stand up together, by our count, 15 separate times during her 49-minute speech.

Whitmer's final State of the State was delivered late by prior governor standards. Her European trade mission and other scheduling issues pushed it back to Feb. 25. The only time a State of the State has been delivered later in a regular session since 1873 was last year, when she delivered it on Feb. 26.

Yet, it didn't seem to matter. Neither the Senate nor the House were waiting for her direction. Lobbyist-led pre and after parties were held, as usual.

Also, the message going into the 2026 elections was as relevant on Feb. 25 as it would have been had it been delivered in early January. No finger-pointing. She gave an honest, sober reflection of where people are at with another flawless delivery.

“We're all exhausted by the endless division,” Whitmer said. “Too many people are quick to judge and eager to spin everything they read, watch or hear. It's stoked by irresponsible leaders and organizations who get more power or make more money when we're all angry at each other or sad about ourselves.”

Whitmer made it clear she's not doing it alone this time.

No calls on her state departments to do this or that. She didn't demand that this bill or that bill get to her desk.

Going into her eighth and final year in office, the trials of her prior seven had her reflecting that “we” have faced problems and “we” will fix them together.

“That's just who we are … because of you, the state of our state is strong. And because of you, I know it always will be."

And, after all of that: “Big Gretch Out!”