The results are in after Tuesday’s primary, and as projected, former legislative leader Gretchen Whitmer won the Democrats' nomination while state Attorney General Bill Schuette won the Republican nomination.
Schuette received congratulatory calls from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence after he defeated Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, conservative state Sen. Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines, an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Whitmer, the first woman to lead a Michigan state Senate caucus, beat former Detroit health director Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and chemical-testing entrepreneur Shri Thanedar, who had tried to outflank her from the left.
Now it’s Schuette vs. Whitmer - both veteran officeholders – setting up a head-to-head race to succeed term-limited Republican Rick Snyder. The contest is guaranteed to be a dog fight, while Schuette is endorsed by President Donald Trump, Whitmer has said that ‘listening to the President Causes brain damage.’
No word on who Schuette will choose as a running mate, however Democrats are fielding women for state attorney general and secretary of state in what they hope will be a "pink wave" in November.