Michigan politicians are reacting to the news shortly after the Associated Press projected Joe Biden would be the next President of the United States.
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Check out the statements below.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
“I want to congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their hard-fought win in this election. I look forward to working with both of them as we continue to fight the spread of COVID-19, work to rebuild our economy, and save lives. Now, with the election behind us, it is time for the American people to unite against our common enemy: COVID-19. This virus has ravaged our country, infecting over 200,000 Michiganders and killing over 7,500. Our hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise, and we are recording a record number of cases each day in Michigan and across the country. It is all of our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our families, frontline workers, and small businesses. To the people of Michigan: I urge you to wear a mask, maintain safe physical distancing, wash your hands frequently, and get your flu vaccine. To our newly elected leaders, from the White House down to the Michigan State Legislature, let’s roll up our sleeves, work together, and beat this virus once and for all.”
Sen. Debbie Stabenow
“After a long, challenging campaign, the people of Michigan and America have made our voices heard. And I truly believe that whether you voted for him or not, President Biden will be a president for all Americans. We have no time to lose. Our nation faces a host of issues—from a deadly pandemic, to the resulting economic fallout, to the climate crisis. These issues do not just affect red states or blue states—they affect us all. I cannot think of anyone better than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to lead us as we tackle these challenges together.”
Sen. Gary Peters
"Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made history today and I’m proud to join them as we work to unite our country and build a more prosperous future for all Americans. Together, we can defeat coronavirus, ensure health care protections for people with pre-existing conditions, put working families before special interests, and boost Michigan manufacturing. It is clear we need to heal our country from the politics of division and hyperpartisanship and that will be our mandate as we look ahead and start to build back better.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell
"The wait is over: President-elect Joe Biden has secured enough Electoral College votes to win the 2020 Presidential election.
Thank you to everyone who supported Democrats up and down the ballot in Michigan. Whether you chipped in, text banked, made phone calls, or safely canvassed, you made the difference in Michigan.
Thanks to your hard work, Michigan flipped back to blue for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
We also re-elected Gary Peters and my colleagues in Congress and ensured Chief Justice Bridget McCormack and Elizabeth Welch were elected to Michigan’s Supreme Court.
These victories were not easy. What we achieved in Michigan took a lot of hard work and it couldn’t have been done without your support.
Even though we were victorious, the election results continue to show how divided this nation is. But, we live in the United States of America, and the word united means we are supposed to stand together to be better, to unite when we are attacked, and unite to be stronger together.
In the months ahead, those that seek to divide us will work more than they ever have to tear us apart with fear, hatred, vitriolic-ness, bullying, bitterness, ugliness. We must stand united together to fight for the soul of our nation. Our work must now shift to understand what is creating this divide; work together to understand; find compassion, empathy, and care; and prevent further division.
Today, President-elect Joe Biden said these words: “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.”
We must remember that we are the United States of America.
I will close with this: Please do something kind for someone today. Many are still anxious, disconnected, and worried. Offer each other kind words and thoughts. And please, wear your mask and be safe."
Rep. Elissa Slotkin
“Congratulations to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris for securing the presidency. And now, the real work begins. We must get through what will still be a tumultuous transition period. President Trump has made clear that he will push back on a peaceful transition of power. This period may well present a test for cabinet officials and Republican elected leaders and they must stand with our democracy. Then, once we inaugurate our new president, we must dig into the difficult work of uniting our country. I refuse to believe that the anger and division of the last four years has to continue, and I believe Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the right people to lead that hard work.”
Rep. Brenda Lawrence
"America showed our true character today. We elected a leader of character, honesty and compassion. America chose President-Elect Joe Biden to lead us and I couldn’t be any prouder of our country and our democracy.
This election was historic for many reasons, but electing a woman as Vice President, and a woman of color, is a monumental achievement for our nation. Congratulations to my friend, Vice President Elect Kamala Harris!!
This couldn’t have happened without Michigan. Michigan and Detroit helped clinch this win for our country. Democracy runs through Michigan and we turned Michigan BLUE TOGETHER!"
Rep. Haley Stevens
“When General Motors and Chrysler were on the brink of collapse, when Michigan’s economy and vitality hung in the balance, Joe Biden was there for Michiganders," said Congresswoman Stevens. "Joe Biden’s working-class upbringing helped him understand what Michigan needed during the Great Recession, and it will make him a wonderful President for this important moment in our nation’s history. Joe Biden can unite our country, rebuild our economy, and get the COVID-19 pandemic under control. I am excited to work with President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to protect the health and safety of the American people, create good-paying jobs, and address the looming climate crisis. Congratulations to the President-elect and the volunteers and supporters who worked so hard to make this moment possible.”
Rep. Andy Levin
“The people have spoken, and they have said we are ready to Build Back Better. Now that Joe Biden has won Pennsylvania and maintains a lead in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada, he will not only win by at least 4 million votes, he also has won a decisive Electoral College victory.
The more election analysis I see, the prouder I get of the role Macomb and Oakland Counties played in powering Biden to a 146,000-vote triumph in Michigan. Across the Ninth Congressional District portion of the two counties, our army of precinct delegates and volunteers helped pick up 44,000 more presidential votes than we got in 2016.
I look forward to a Biden-Harris administration containing this pandemic and giving American workers the fair shake they have been denied for decades.”
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
"The historic election of Joe Biden as our next president will have a tremendous positive impact on America, on Michigan, and on the City of Detroit. President-elect Biden was a friend to Detroit when we were down, helping save our auto industry and helping our city to recovery from bankruptcy. We look forward to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President elect Kamala Harris uniting our country and building a much brighter future."
UAW President Rory Gamble
“UAW members look forward to working with President-Elect Joe Biden, who has been a friend of UAW members and labor since his earliest days as a Senator in Delaware.
It is time for us all as Americans, and as UAW members, to put aside our differences and unify on the hard work that lay ahead. Our members, our families and our communities are hurting in this pandemic and with economic challenges, health care challenges and workplace rights and safety challenges as union members. These are the issues that unite us as union members regardless of who is in power in the White House, in Congress or our Courts.
Now we must look to ourselves to set an example and to work as one nation, under God, united and indivisible as we work for an end to this pandemic and a brighter future for our members, their families and their communities.”
