Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has been one of the names floated as a possible replacement for President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic Party ticket, but she slapped down these reports in a new interview.

Whitmer spoke with the Associated Press ahead of the Tuesday launch of her memoir True Gretch, which is being published amid concerns about the 81-year-old president, some coming from his own party following his CNN debate performance with Donald Trump. Biden insisted on Monday he’s staying in the race.

Whitmer is aware of the talk of her and others like California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) stepping in for Biden, and she’s not happy with it. Newsom has in the past dismissed such talk too.

“It’s a distraction more than anything,” the Biden campaign co-chair said. “I don’t like seeing my name in articles like that because I’m totally focused on governing and campaigning for the ticket.”

The governor admitted the CNN debate was not the president’s finest moment. Biden has said since that he was suffering from a cold and jet lag from a return trip from Europe 12 days prior.

“I think everyone has acknowledged it was not his finest 90 minutes,” she said. “That said, this is a man I’ve known for a long time and has decades of public service receipts that he’s delivered to people.”

Whitmer previously doubled down on her support for Biden by calling out a report suggesting she’d said that Democrats can’t win Michigan following Biden’s debate.

Anyone who claims I would say that we can’t win Michigan is full of shit. Let’s go. https://t.co/1K5E6K7rJu pic.twitter.com/04c3vGfhO5

— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) July 1, 2024

“Anyone who claims I would say that we can’t win Michigan is full of shit. Let’s go,” she wrote.

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