It feels like forever ago, but honestly, the 2022 race for Michigan's top seat was one of those political moments that basically shifted the tectonic plates of the Midwest. If you’re looking for a quick answer, Gretchen Whitmer won the Michigan governor race, and she didn’t just squeak by. She won by nearly 11 percentage points.
But just saying "she won" is kinda like saying the Titanic had a bit of a water problem. It doesn't capture the sheer chaos of that election cycle.
We’re talking about a race that started with a massive signature fraud scandal that knocked out the GOP frontrunners before the primary even really began. It ended with a "blue wave" that gave Democrats total control of Lansing for the first time in about 40 years. Now, as we sit here in 2026, Whitmer is winding down her final year in office, preparing for her last State of the State address on February 25.
The Midterm Madness: How Whitmer Kept the Keys
When people ask who won Michigan governor, they're usually thinking about that high-stakes showdown between incumbent Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon.
The final tally wasn't as close as the pundits predicted. Whitmer pulled in 2,430,505 votes (54.5%), while Dixon landed 1,960,635 votes (43.9%).
Why such a gap? Well, a lot of it came down to the "Three As": Abortion, Ads, and... well, "Against the Grain."
- The Abortion Factor: This was the first major election after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Michigan had Proposal 3 on the ballot—a measure to bake reproductive rights into the state constitution. Whitmer tied her campaign to that proposal like a knot. It worked.
- The Money Gap: Honestly, it wasn't even a fair fight on the airwaves for a while. By late summer, Whitmer had roughly 30 times more cash on hand than Dixon. If you lived in Grand Rapids or Detroit back then, you couldn't turn on a TV without seeing a "Big Gretch" ad.
- The GOP Primary Chaos: Before Dixon even got the nomination, the Republican field was a mess. Five candidates—including big names like James Craig and Perry Johnson—were booted from the ballot because of fraudulent signatures collected by third-party circulators. It left the party scrambling.
Who is Tudor Dixon?
A lot of folks outside Michigan hadn't heard of Tudor Dixon until she started making waves on conservative media. She was a former steel industry exec and a conservative commentator. She got a late-game endorsement from Donald Trump, which helped her clinch the primary, but she struggled to win over those middle-of-the-road independent voters in the general.
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Dixon leaned hard into "culture war" issues—stuff like school curriculum and COVID-19 lockdowns. She called Whitmer "heavy-handed" for her pandemic policies. But while that played well with the base, it didn't seem to resonate as much with the suburban voters in Oakland County who were more worried about their pocketbooks and the "damn roads."
What Most People Get Wrong About the Win
There’s this misconception that Michigan is a deep blue state now. It’s not. It’s still a purple mess. Whitmer’s win was fueled by a unique cocktail of a motivated female electorate and a Republican party that was basically fighting with one hand tied behind its back due to those primary disqualifications.
Also, it wasn't just about the governor. The 2022 results were a clean sweep.
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- Jocelyn Benson kept her spot as Secretary of State.
- Dana Nessel remained Attorney General.
- Democrats flipped both the State House and the State Senate.
This created a "trifecta." For the first time since 1983, one party had the governor's mansion and both legislative chambers. They used that power to repeal the state's "Right to Work" law and pass stricter gun control measures—things that would have been impossible a year earlier.
What’s Happening Now in 2026?
Since we’re currently in 2026, the question of "who won" is quickly turning into "who's next?"
Michigan has strict lifetime term limits. A governor can only serve two four-year terms. Period. Because Whitmer won in 2018 and again in 2022, she’s "termed out." She can’t run again this November.
The 2026 race is already heating up. You’ve got names like former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson hovering around the Democratic ticket. On the Republican side, Congressman John James is a name that keeps popping up.
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Actionable Insights for Michigan Voters
If you're trying to keep track of the political landscape leading up to the 2026 election, here’s what you should actually be doing:
- Check Your Registration: Since Proposal 2 passed in 2022, Michigan has some of the most accessible voting laws in the country, including permanent mail-in ballot lists. Make sure you're actually on it.
- Watch the February 25 Address: This will be Whitmer’s final State of the State. It’s basically her "exit interview." She’ll likely lay out her remaining goals for infrastructure and education.
- Monitor the Budget: The 2025-2026 budget was massive. Keep an eye on how that "damn road" money is actually being spent in your specific county—local results often matter more than the big speeches in Lansing.
The 2022 election wasn't just a win for a person; it was a shift in how Michigan operates. Whether you loved the result or hated it, the "Whitmer Era" has defined the state's trajectory for nearly a decade. Now, the door is wide open for whatever comes next.