Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‘s (D-MI) approval rating has hit its highest point since 2020, according to a new poll.
Whitmer has a 63% approval rating, with 90% of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 35% of Republicans approving of her work, according to a poll from Impact Research obtained by Politico. There had been concerns from Democrats that Whitmer was getting too close to President Donald Trump as she tried to make crucial deals for her state.
“Governor Whitmer has her strongest ratings in years and is as strong as she’s ever been with Democrats,” Impact Research officials said. “Voters across the political spectrum like that she is working across party lines, getting things done, and focused on the issues that matter.”
In April, Whitmer traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Trump regarding his tariffs on the auto industry.
She has also landed several deals with the federal government, including a new fighter jet mission of a Michigan Air National Guard base and a promise from the Trump administration that it won’t take back federal funding for a long-planned $1.2 billion infrastructure project to keep carp out of the Great Lakes.
Whitmer has received criticism and applause for her approach to working with Trump. She hugged Trump on the tarmac before his rally celebrating his first 100 days in office in Detroit, but she also made headlines for covering her face with a folder in an attempt to shield herself from photographers at the White House in March. In that instance, she had been in the Oval Office to discuss federal funding to aid Michigan in its recovery from a March ice storm.
Whitmer has defended her appearance with Trump, adamant that “it doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned any of my values” or that “I’m not going to stand my ground.”
Her approach seems to have paid off, as about 60% of poll respondents said Whitmer is taking the right approach by working with Trump, compared to the 27% who indicated the governor should do more to counter him.
Michigan is a hotly contested swing state. In the 2024 election, it flipped red to vote for Trump in the presidential race, but it elected Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, to the Senate on the same ballot.
“Michiganders want her to continue her approach of working with President Trump when it’s good for Michigan while standing up to him when she disagrees,” Impact Research officials said.
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Her term as governor will conclude in 2026, and she is seen as a 2028 Democratic presidential contender. She has denied any plans to run for the White House.
Methodology: This poll was conducted between May 15 and 18 through an online survey of 808 registered voters in Michigan. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample.