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In the state of Michigan, Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer is up for re-election. During 2020 and 2021, Whitmer's heavy COVID restrictions repeatedly made national headlines.

Michiganders also lived with some of the most unyielding COVID mandates in the nation. Whitmer implemented travel restrictions; however, that didn't stop her from taking her own out-of-state trips to be with her family.

The Michigan governor, like other Democrats, has repeatedly come under hot water for breaking the COVID rules she put in place for her constituents. Now, she's seeking re-election for a second term as the governor of the Wolverine State.

This leaves the Michigan Republican Party hard at work to ensure she is booted out of office, come this November.

The odds of Whitmer winning a second term as governor

At this time, a Detroit News poll shows that Whitmer is not in the most powerful of positions when it comes to re-election.

41.7% of Michigan residents would vote for another person to serve as governor; meanwhile, just 39.9% of Michiganders told the pollster Whitmer would win their vote. The remaining 12.2% admitted their vote would depend upon who is running to oppose the governor.

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At this time, there are 13 different Republicans seeking to challenge Whitmer in the state's gubernatorial election. These candidates will have to battle one another in the GOP primary before going on to face the Democrat incumbent governor in the general election.

Controversy over fundraising

Whitmer and other Democrats are under fire amid a Johns Hopkins study showing that lockdowns served as futile in saving lives, while causing immense economic and societal damages.

Critics of the Michigan governor have also noted despite all her lockdowns and other mandates, the state still absorbed some hard hits from omicron.

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However, this leads to the newest controversy surrounding Whitmer's fundraising methods.

Back in November 2021, when Michigan truly struggled with omicron, the governor actually left the state to fundraise hundreds of thousands of dollars in California for her re-election campaign.

Michigan Republicans have frowned upon this. Others view it as hypocritical and elitist of Whitmer.

Time will tell whether or not this is enough for Michiganders to vote Whitmer out; another important factor will be which Republican she faces in the general election.