Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that she will not run for president in 2028, eliminating what many had viewed as a likely candidacy from the expected Democratic primary field.

Whitmer, who is serving her second term as governor, is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection in Michigan due to term limits. Political observers had widely considered her a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination given her profile as a swing-state governor.

The announcement comes as early positioning begins for the 2028 presidential race, with various Democratic figures expected to explore candidacies following the party's 2024 electoral losses.

Separately, Democratic Party leaders from five Southern states have called for South Carolina to maintain its position as the first primary state in 2028. Party chairs from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and West Virginia sent a letter to Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin advocating for South Carolina voters to cast the first ballots in the next presidential primary cycle.

The early jockeying over primary calendar positioning reflects ongoing debates within the Democratic Party about how to structure the nomination process for maximum strategic advantage in general elections.