Also key? Getting more women of varying backgrounds running for office — and elected. That’s why, when Whitmer is out meeting young people, she’s always telling them to think about getting involved. “There are people in our Congress right now who don’t have a moral compass, who are there to benefit themselves, who have less to contribute to collective good,” Whitmer said. “We have a tendency to think, ‘I’ve got to have this degree, or this life experience, or I’m not there yet.’ BS. A lot of men run for office, coming out of the womb thinking they should be President of the United States. We shouldn’t let any of those fake barriers stand in our way. Where there are opportunities for me to make space and ensure that we empower real representation, I take them at every turn because I know we are better as a state, better as a democracy, if we’ve got a variety of viewpoints around the table.”
