密歇根州麦基诺岛——密歇根州民主党州长格雷琴·惠特默(Gretchen Whitmerof)周四表示，她不会在今年年底离任后加入预计将非常拥挤的初选。
惠特莫一直被一些民主党人视为可能的白宫竞争者，此前她在共和党人唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)在总统选举中两次赢得激烈竞争的州取得了决定性的选举胜利。然而，几个月来，惠特莫对自己的政治前途只给出了谨慎的回答。
但她在周四接受福克斯2底特律台采访时给出了迄今为止最明确的回应。
“我认为会有一群精力充沛的人竞选总统。我不会在2028年成为他们中的一员，”惠特默说。
她的评论是在密歇根州的年度麦基诺政策会议上发表的，惠特莫将于周四晚些时候接受表彰并发表讲话。
惠特默此前曾表示，她计划在决定自己的下一步政治行动之前花些时间。
“我不知道我会不会再把我的名字放在选票上。我只是不确定，”惠特莫在底特律的一次早餐会上说。“但我也54岁了。我油箱里有很多汽油。”
麦基诺会议已经成为总统猜测的中心，前交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格和美国参议员埃利萨·斯洛特金(Elissa Slotkin)也被认为是2028年的可能竞争者。
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan says she won't run for president in 2028
MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. --Democratic Gov.Gretchen Whitmerof Michigan put to rest speculation about a potential 2028 presidential bid, saying Thursday that she will not join what is expected to be a crowded primary field after leaving office at the end of this year.
Whitmer has long been viewed by some Democrats as a possible White House contender after her decisive election victories in the closely contested state that Republican Donald Trump has carried twice in presidential votes. For months, however, Whitmer had offeredonly cautious answersabout her political future.
But she delivered her clearest response yet in an interview Thursday withFox 2 Detroit.
“I think there will be a robust group of people running for president. I will not be one of them in 2028,” Whitmer said.
Her comments came during Michigan’s annual Mackinac policy conference, where Whitmer is set to be honored and deliver remarks later Thursday.
Whitmer has previously said she plans to take time before deciding on her next move politically.
“I don’t know that I’ll put my name on the ballot again. I’m just not sure,” Whitmer said at an April breakfast in Detroit. “But I also am 54 years old. I got a lot of gas in the tank.”
The Mackinac conference has become a hub of presidential speculation, with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin — both considered possible 2028 contenders — also in attendance.
