Fresh off a narrow primary victory over democratic socialist Francesca Hong, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley wasted no time cozying up to one of the Democratic Party’s most radioactive assets: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Last weekend, Whitmer joined Crowley and outgoing Gov. Tony Evers for a rally in Madison, following a Sunday fundraiser in Milwaukee. The move comes as Crowley attempts to unify a fractured Democratic Party after eking out a win over Hong by fewer than 4,000 votes. But for Wisconsin conservatives and independent voters still scarred by pandemic dictatorial power grabs, the optics are toxic.
Whitmer, known as “Big Gretch” to her fans and “that woman from Michigan” to President Trump, didn’t earn her national notoriety by accident. She built her brand on some of the most draconian COVID-19 lockdowns in America—policies that slammed businesses shut, kept schools closed for months, and infantilized ordinary Michiganders, all while she and her cronies played by their own rules.
The COVID Hypocrisy That Defined Whitmer’s Brand
In the spring of 2020, Whitmer issued nearly 200 executive orders that ranked among the strictest in the country. Michiganders were banned from buying garden seeds and home-improvement supplies at big-box stores. Motorboats were prohibited. Travel to second homes was restricted. Large gatherings were outlawed. The governor even dictated one-way aisles in grocery stores.
Family-owned nurseries and landscaping businesses watched their busiest season go up in smoke. The Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association called it a “horrible blow.” Small business owners faced fines, lawsuits, and even jail time for trying to stay open.
While regular folks bore the brunt, Whitmer and her entourage operated under a separate rulebook. She was caught maskless at a packed Lansing sports bar in May 2021, flouting her own health department’s edicts. She offered the usual politician’s apology. Before getting vaccinated, she jetted off to Florida to visit her father. Her husband, meanwhile, tried to pull strings at a marina to get his boat in the water—while everyone else was told to stay ashore.
Whitmer’s administration also directed COVID-positive patients into nursing homes. Critics, including Republican lawmakers, argued the approach accelerated deaths among the elderly. Michigan recorded more than 5,500 long-term care facility deaths. Whitmer has claimed the policies “saved a lot of lives,” but the numbers and the lack of transparency have fueled lasting distrust.
Years later, Whitmer finally confessed the lockdowns were based on ‘very little or very bad information.’ Too bad that revelation arrived long after businesses were shuttered for good, children’s education was derailed, and families were forced to say goodbye to loved ones through a pane of glass.
A Record of Overreach, Not Results
Whitmer’s latest crusade is just as reckless. Her push for sprawling AI data centers has triggered bipartisan outrage in Michigan. These so-called billion-dollar projects come with a hefty price tag: soaring energy demands and sweetheart tax deals for Big Tech. Even progressive Democrats are accusing Whitmer of selling out Main Street for Silicon Valley.
Local leaders in places like Saline Township and Ypsilanti Township have fought proposed facilities, citing environmental risks and a lack of genuine public input. Whitmer has celebrated one OpenAI-Oracle project, even as critics warn of ratepayer costs and resource strain on the Great Lakes.
For Wisconsin voters, the parallel is hard to miss. Crowley has signaled openness to data center tax breaks while still operating in a Democratic ecosystem that often prioritizes expansive government programs. Aligning with Whitmer sends a clear message about the kind of governance Wisconsin can expect if Crowley wins in November.
Crowley’s decision to campaign with Whitmer comes at a delicate moment. He narrowly defeated Hong after briefly dropping out of the race and re-entering with Evers’ endorsement. Progressives remain skeptical. Moderates and independents who decide Wisconsin elections should view Whitmer as pure political poison.
Michigan under Whitmer has been a masterclass in what not to do: higher taxes, suffocating mandates, rules for thee but not for me, and a parade of scandals. That’s a far cry from the limited-government, common-sense approach Wisconsinites actually want. Republican nominee Tom Tiffany has already drawn the battle lines: accountability versus another round of failed Democratic experiments.
Whitmer’s cameo is a gift-wrapped talking point for Republicans: Crowley isn’t the pragmatic moderate he pretends to be. He’s perfectly at ease sharing the spotlight with a governor who ruled her citizens like subjects and left Michigan with wounds that still haven’t healed.
Wisconsin has watched neighboring states experiment with progressive excess and pay the price in population loss, business flight, and eroded trust. Importing Whitmer’s brand of governance is the last thing the state needs. Crowley’s embrace of a dictator who wouldn’t let Michiganders buy garden seeds during COVID is a costly strategy.
