Whitmer rolls out ‘Fight Like Hell’ PAC to play in 2024 federal races

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launched her “Fight Like Hell” federal political action committee (PAC) on Monday, repackaging a phrase she used last year in her advocacy for protecting abortion rights.

Whitmer, who co-chairs the 2024 President Joe Biden/Vice President Kamala Harris reelection campaign, said she will raise money for Democratic candidates who are “unapologetic in their fight for working people and their basic freedoms” heading into the 2024 election.

“I’ve been fighting like hell for working people and basic freedoms in Michigan my entire life, but this is a moment where our fight must stretch beyond Michigan and reach the entire country,” said Whitmer in a video announcement. “And that’s why we’re starting Fight Like Hell PAC to bring Michigan’s fight for basic freedoms to our supporters’ backyards across the entire country. We will fight like hell for Democrats to hold the White House in 2024. We will fight like hell for Democrats to hold Michigan’s seat in the U.S. Senate in 2024 and we will fight like hell for every candidate who shares our values and we’ll fight like hell for every single vote.”

The PAC’s fundraising website notes that Michigan will be a critical battleground state in the 2024 election. 

“This movement is dedicated to building on Governor Whitmer’s success in our state by supporting candidates who are fighting for everyday Americans,” states the website. “We know the MAGA extremists are dead set on undermining the progress we’ve created in Michigan. We cannot let them undo everything we’ve accomplished together.”

Considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and a likely future presidential contender, Whitmer was among those under consideration to be Biden’s 2020 running mate before he selected Harris. Her staunch advocacy for abortion rights helped her win reelection by more than 10 points, while Democrats run the table last November, winning control of the Legislature for the first time in 40 years. 

The press release says the Fight Like Hell PAC will allow Whitmer to use her “vast small donor network” to fundraise for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. 

While the PAC is structured so that the money it raises can’t be spent on a federal race where Whitmer is the candidate, it could provide funds for Whitmer’s sister, Liz Whitmer Gereghty, who is running for Congress in New York.