Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer ruled out a 2028 Presidential run on Thursday, taking a top contender for the Democratic nomination off the board.

The news will narrow a field that has already left party insiders and activists unimpressed heading into the 2026 midterms and 2028 Presidential race.

For her part, Whitmer expressed confidence in the party producing a strong slate of candidates for 2028, but said that she would not be part of the slate.

“I think there will be a robust group of people running for president,” Whitmer told a Detroit television station. “I will not be one of them in 2028, I can tell you that.”

Whitmer was floated as one of the Democratic Party’s stronger options for 2028, but has made a series of missteps on the national stage that may have jeopardized a Presidential run.

In April, Whitmer drew criticism from Democratic partisans for visiting the White House to discuss Michigan issues with President Donald Trump during a time when the party’s Progressive base wants Democratic politicians to be aggressive and confrontational towards the President.

“Just a f—ing disaster,” said a Democratic operative who admires Whitmer and chose to remain anonymous. “It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem.”

Whitmer’s office attempted damage control after the incident by saying she did not endorse Trump’s words or actions during the press conference.

“The governor was surprised that she was brought into the Oval Office during President Trump’s press conference without any notice of the subject matter,” a Whitmer spokesperson said in a statement. “Her presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.”

With Whitmer ruling out a Presidential run, top contenders include Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and former Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

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