Election Administration & Voting Rights

In an NPR interview at the Detroit Auto Show, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said it would be a 'mistake' to assume pro‑Trump forces—or the Trump administration itself—won’t try to disrupt ballot counting in 2026 and 2028, and argued it is 'not paranoia' to worry that Trump’s immigration crackdowns and deployments of thousands of federal agents could be repurposed as tools of election control. Whitmer said Democratic governors are conducting tabletop exercises to prepare for possible interference but declined to give operational details, citing security concerns. She also warned that Trump’s tariffs have 'taken a terrible toll' on Michigan’s auto industry, saying globalized supply chains and billions in added costs are contributing to a contraction in U.S. manufacturing even as some union leaders publicly back tariffs. Looking ahead to 2028, Whitmer—term‑limited and not currently a candidate, but often mentioned for national office—said Democrats must confront why younger and working‑class men are drifting away from the party, noting that women signed up for college, skills programs and first‑home aid at roughly twice the rate of men in Michigan. Her comments feed into broader national debates over how far Trump might go in using federal power around elections, and whether Democrats can reconnect with male voters angered by economic and cultural shifts.