What They Are Saying: Michigan Dem Gov Candidate Gretchen Whitmer Shows “Disconnect” With Voters During Lackluster Debate Performance

In last night’s Michigan Democrat gubernatorial debate broadcast by WDIV-TV, Gretchen Whitmer’s lackluster performance was met with scathing reviews by political observers. A post-debate panel that included Detroit City Councilwoman Raquel Castañeda-López, State Representative Abdullah Hammoud, and marketing expert Eric Thomas shredded Whitmer for recycling overused campaign slogans and showing a “disconnect” with the people of her Michigan. Already struggling as polls show her in “deep trouble” with Detroit voters with less than a month to go until Democrats choose their nominee, Whitmer’s out-of-touch performance leaves her with even more ground to make up against her primary rivals:

Detroit City Councilwoman Raquel Castañeda-López was highly critical of Whitmer’s inability to connect with voters, saying she “highlighted her disconnect” with everyday Michiganders:

WDIV-TV‘s Jason Carr called Whitmer “ill at ease,” noting how she seemed uncomfortable on the debate stage:

University of Michigan Director of Debate Aaron Kall agreed, noting that “Whitmer continually looked down at notes and seemed stunned by being directly confronted”:

The entire WDIV-TV panel slammed Whitmer’s overuse of the phrase “fix the damn roads,” with Eric Thomas stating “Gretchen Whitmer should never say fix the damn roads, ever again in life, that’s over”: