Jennifer Granholm
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is a Canadian-born American
politician
, educator, and author
who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor John Engler
. Granholm was re-elected on November 7, 2006, and was sworn in for her second and, due to term limits, final term on January 1, 2007. She has been mentioned as a potential Supreme Court justice
for President
Barack Obama
. She was a member of the transition team
for the presidency
of President Obama before he assumed office
on January 20, 2009. After leaving office, Granholm took a position at the University of California at Berkeley and, with her husband Daniel Mulhern, coauthored A Governor's Story: The Fight for Jobs and America's Future, released in September 2011.
, British Columbia
, Canada
, to Shirley Alfreda Dowden and Victor Ivar Granholm. Granholm's paternal grandfather, who immigrated to Canada in the 1930s
, came from Robertsfors
, Sweden
, where his father was mayor. The Minister for Enterprise and Energy and former Vice Prime Minister of Sweden, Maud Olofsson
, lives in Robertsfors, and when the two met in Sweden, it was revealed that Olofsson's husband is a relative of Granholm's.
Granholm's grandmother was an emigrant from Norway
. Granholm's family moved to California
when she was four. She grew up in Anaheim, San Jose
and San Carlos
. Granholm graduated from San Carlos High School
in 1977. She won the Miss San Carlos beauty pageant. As a young adult she attempted to launch a Hollywood acting career but was unsuccessful and she abandoned her efforts at the age of 21. She held jobs as a tour guide
at Universal Studios
, within customer service
for the Los Angeles Times
and was the first female tour guide at Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City
, piloting boats with 25 tourists aboard. In 1980, she became a United States citizen and worked for John Anderson's independent run for President of the United States
, and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley
. She graduated from UC-Berkeley in 1984 Phi Beta Kappa with two B.A.
degrees, one in political science, the other in French. Granholm then earned a Juris Doctor
degree at Harvard Law School
, also with honors.
She clerked for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
. In 1990 she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
. In 1994, she was appointed Wayne County
Corporation Counsel
.
Granholm, like California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger
, was once a contestant on the daytime television
game show
The Dating Game
.
in 1998, defeating the Republican nominee, John Smietanka
, 52 percent to 48 percent. The first woman to hold that position, she served for four years (1999–2003), focusing on protecting citizens and consumers and establishing Michigan's first High Tech Crime Unit. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Granholm directed state agencies to work with lawmakers in keeping the fight against terrorism
within the powers of the state. She also imposed a regulation on gasoline
dealers to keep them from raising prices dramatically, something which occurred sporadically across Michigan immediately following the attacks.
and House Democratic Whip
David Bonior in the Democratic primary
, and then went on to win the gubernatorial election
against the Republican
nominee, Lieutenant Governor
Dick Posthumus
, to become governor.
. As Governor, she was a member of the National Governors Association
. She was chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and was co-chair of the Health Care Task Force of the National Governors Association
. She is also a former Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association
. She lived in the official Michigan Governor's Residence
located near the Capitol Building.
In 2003, Granholm ran five miles across the Mackinac Bridge
, which connects the state's two peninsulas, in 47 minutes during the Mackinac Bridge Walk
. Her run began a new tradition, and 2004 saw the first annual Governor’s Labor Day Bridge Run held hours before the Annual Bridge Walk. This time she finished the run in under 45 minutes.
During Granholm’s first year in office, she made a significant number of budget cuts to deal with a $1.7 billion deficit (about 2% of the annual state budget). She was upset by proposals to cut state funding to social welfare programs, such as homeless shelters and mental health
agencies. During an interview, she reflected on her view of the proper perspective of budget cuts:
Granholm has been a proponent of education reform since the first year of her term. In her first State of the State Address in 2003, Granholm announced Project Great Start to focus on reforming education for children from birth to age 5. Project Great Start has coordinated public and private efforts to encourage educating new parents and encouraging parents to read to their children.
Granholm emphasized post-secondary education for Michiganders following the decline in Michigan manufacturing jobs, many of which did not require a college degree. In 2004, she asked Lt. Governor John D. Cherry
to lead a Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth to double the number of college graduates in Michigan. Many of the Commission's recommendations were enacted into law during Granholm's tenure as governor, like increasing high school graduation standards (The Michigan Merit Curriculum) so that every Michigan high school student takes a college preparatory curriculum, which included four years of math and English/language arts and three years of science and social studies, beginning with students who entered high school in the fall of 2006.
At an awards ceremony on October 28, 2004, Granholm was inducted into the "Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
". She has also been the recipient of the Michigan Jaycees 1999 "Outstanding Young Michiganders" and the YWCA
"Woman of the Year" awards.
In February 2005, Michigan's Republican-dominated Legislature refused to vote on Granholm's proposed state budget, citing concerns over cuts to state funding for higher education. In the previous years of Granholm's term, many cuts to higher education had been demanded and voted in the Legislature in order to balance the state budget. The year before, Republican leaders had called Granholm a "do-nothing Governor", claiming that she failed to lead, while Democrats accused legislative Republicans of being obstructionist. In January 2005, Granholm presented an early budget proposal, demanded immediate response from the Legislature, and held a press conference outlining the highlights of the proposed budget. After refusing to consider, debate, or vote on the proposed budget, Republicans stated they would prefer that the Legislature have more involvement in the formation of the state budget.
Michigan's economy has been losing jobs since 2000, largely based on the decline in the American manufacturing sector. Granholm supported diversification Michigan's economy away from its historical reliance on automotive manufacturing. She pushed through a $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund to attract jobs to Michigan in the life sciences, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, and homeland security sectors. Granholm also supported alternative energy jobs to Michigan to replace lost auto manufacturing jobs.
Granholm ran for a second term in the 2006 election
. Her opponents were Republican businessman and politician Dick DeVos
, Libertarian
Gregory Creswell
, Green
Douglas Campbell
, and the Constitution (US Taxpayers) Party
candidate Bhagwan Dashairya.
The state's unemployment
rate hovered around seven percent for much of her term. Additionally, Michigan ranked #49 in retaining young adults between 2000 and 2005, again attributed to the sluggish economy.
Both the Granholm campaign and the Michigan Democratic Party
put out television commercials produced by Joe Slade White
which focused on her efforts to revive Michigan's economy and accused Dick DeVos
of cutting Michigan jobs while he was head of what was then called Amway
.
Granholm won re-election, defeating DeVos. The margin (rounded to the nearest percent) was 56 percent (Granholm), 42 percent (DeVos), one percent (Gregory Creswell
), one percent (Douglas Campbell
) and one percent (Bhagwan Dashairya). Granholm polled 4.9 percent higher than she did in her first gubernatorial election in 2002.
but the retention of Republican control over the Michigan Senate
. The partisan division of power in Michigan's state government led to a showdown between Granholm and Republican lawmakers over the FY2008 state budget that resulted in a four-hour shutdown of non-essential state services in the early morning of October 1, 2007 until a budget was passed and signed. The budget cut services, increased the state income tax and created a new set of service taxes on a variety of business activities, from ski lift tickets to interior design and landscaping, to address a state budget shortfall. As a result of the controversial budget, some taxpayer and business advocates called for a recall campaign against Granholm and lawmakers who voted for the tax increases.
The budget crisis eventually led Standard & Poors to downgrade Michigan's credit rating
from AA to AA-. Additionally, the crisis contributed to sinking approval ratings for Granholm, which stood at 43 percent in August 2007, to a low of 32 percent in December 2007. She had one of the lowest approval ratings for any Governor in the United States. The divided Michigan legislature received an even lower approval rating of 18 percent in the same poll.
In 2007, Granholm proposed and signed into law the No Worker Left Behind program to provide two years of free training or community college for unemployed and displaced workers. Since its launch in August 2007, over 61,434 people have received training through No Worker Left Behind. The program caps tuition assistance at $5000 per year for two years, or $10,000 per person, and covers retraining in high-demand occupations and emerging industries.Results of this program were mixed. More than two years after the program was launched, only 16,164 people had completed the program and found new jobs. Over twice as many people had enrolled in the program had either dropped out or were still unemployed after completing the program. In fact, 47% of those who did complete the program failed to find a new job.
Granholm delivered her sixth State of the State address on January 29, 2008. The speech was focused mainly on creating jobs in Michigan's economy through bringing alternative energy
companies to Michigan. Through passing a Renewable Portfolio Standard
, which would require that by 2015, 10 percent of Michigan's energy would come from renewable sources and 25 percent by 2025, Granholm expects the alternative energy industry to emerge in Michigan. Since the passage of the standard, Mariah Power, Global Wind Systems, Cascade Swift Turbine, Great Lakes Turbine and 38 other companies have all announced new projects in Michigan. Solar and Wind power now provide over 10,000 jobs in Michigan. As a result of Granholm's efforts, Michigan is now fourth in the nation for number of jobs in the solar industry and first in the nation for clean energy patents.
Granholm also called in the speech for an incentive package to offer tax breaks to filmmakers who shoot in Michigan and use local crews in production. A package of bills offering film industry incentives was approved by both houses of the Michigan Legislature
and signed into law by Granholm on April 7, 2008.
Partly because of pressure from Granholm, Michigan's Democratic presidential primary
was moved up to January 15, leading the Democratic National Committee
to strip the Michigan Democratic Party
of its delegates (Michigan historically held its caucuses on February 9). Granholm has been named by some as a possible candidate for United States Attorney General
. She is currently the Policy Chair of the Democratic Governors Association
.
On April 29, 2008, Granholm had emergency surgery to fix a bowel obstruction that stemmed from a 1993 accident. Because of the surgery, Granholm had to postpone a trip to Israel and Kuwait.
In response to a May 14, 2008 resolution by the Detroit City Council to request that Granholm remove Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
from office in response to eight (later ten) felony counts against him, Granholm began an inquiry, which culminated in a removal hearing on September 3, 2008. On September 3, Granholm outlined the legal basis for the hearings, arguments were made and three witnesses were called. In the morning of September 4, Kilpatrick agreed to two plea deals, pleading guilty to two counts of perjury and no contest
to one count of assaulting and obstructing a police officer in two separate cases. Both of the deals required his resignation. When the hearing reconvened later that day, Granholm stated that the hearing would be adjourned until September 22 as a result of the plea deals; if Kilpatrick's resignation becomes effective before that date, the hearing would then be cancelled.
In September 2008, Gov. Granholm undertook the role of Republican
vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin
in a series of practice debates with Democratic
vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden.
With the election of Barack Obama
as President, Granholm joined his economic advisory team and there was speculation that she may join the Obama administration.
On May 13, 2009, the Associated Press
reported that President Obama was considering Granholm, among others, for possible appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Eventually Obama chose Sonia Sotomayor
.
In 2010, Granholm was unable to seek re-election due to Michigan's term limits. Governor Granholm's tenure ended on January 1, 2011, when Republican
Rick Snyder was sworn in.
Over eight years, Granholm’s efforts in partnership with her economic development team have resulted in more than 653,000 direct jobs created or retained and spurred more than $57 billion in private investment in nearly 4,000 economic development projects. While she was Governor, Site Selection magazine repeatedly named Michigan one of the top three states in the country for recruiting new businesses and projects. Michigan was also twice recognized by The Pew Center on the States as one of the best-managed states in the nation. According to the Gallup Job Creation Index, Michigan led the country in the improvement of job market conditions between 2009 and 2010. However, over this same period, Michigan also reached its highest unemployment rate ever, and was the highest unemployment rate in the entire nation.
During her tenure, Michigan was repeatedly recognized as the #1 digital state in the nation; the state’s web site carried top honors for years and the state has consolidated over 40 statewide e-mail systems down to just two (reducing e-mail support staff by half and hardware requirements by nearly 90%), and consolidated 37 separate data centers down to just three, saving millions while improving the overall security and quality.
,” is authoring a book, A Governor's Story: The Fight For Jobs and America's Economic Future (Release Date: Sept. 20, 2011), with her husband on the lessons Michigan’s experience can offer to America, and serves on the board of directors for The Dow Chemical Company.. On October 12, 2011, Current TV
announced that Granholm would be joining its new political prime-time lineup as host of the new program The War Room with Jennifer Granholm
.
As governor of Michigan, Granholm was afforded the courtesy title
of Her Excellency while in office. Upon leaving office, she retains the title of Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) and Governor for life.
On October 21, 2010, Granholm was made a Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star
, First Class by the King of Sweden
"for her work in fostering relations between Michigan and Sweden to promote a clean energy economy.".
|-
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, educator, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor John Engler
John Engler
John Mathias Engler is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003....
. Granholm was re-elected on November 7, 2006, and was sworn in for her second and, due to term limits, final term on January 1, 2007. She has been mentioned as a potential Supreme Court justice
Barack Obama Supreme Court candidates
President Barack Obama has made two successful appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States. The first was that of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice David H. Souter. Sotomayor was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 6,...
for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. She was a member of the transition team
Presidential transition of Barack Obama
The presidential transition of Barack Obama began when he won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the President-Elect. He was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008...
for the presidency
Presidency of Barack Obama
The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009 when he became the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois at the time of his victory over Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election...
of President Obama before he assumed office
Inauguration of Barack Obama
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joe...
on January 20, 2009. After leaving office, Granholm took a position at the University of California at Berkeley and, with her husband Daniel Mulhern, coauthored A Governor's Story: The Fight for Jobs and America's Future, released in September 2011.
Early life, education, and early career
Granholm was born in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to Shirley Alfreda Dowden and Victor Ivar Granholm. Granholm's paternal grandfather, who immigrated to Canada in the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, came from Robertsfors
Robertsfors
Robertsfors is a locality and the seat of Robertsfors Municipality in Västerbotten County, Sweden with 2,010 inhabitants in 2005.Robertsfors is named after the Scotsman Robert Finlay, who, together with John Jennings, founded an ironworks there in 1751....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where his father was mayor. The Minister for Enterprise and Energy and former Vice Prime Minister of Sweden, Maud Olofsson
Maud Olofsson
Maud Elisabeth Olofsson is a Swedish politician, the former leader of the Centre Party of Sweden between 2001-2011, and the former Minister for Enterprise and Energy between 2006 and 2011...
, lives in Robertsfors, and when the two met in Sweden, it was revealed that Olofsson's husband is a relative of Granholm's.
Granholm's grandmother was an emigrant from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Granholm's family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when she was four. She grew up in Anaheim, San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and San Carlos
San Carlos, California
San Carlos is a city in San Mateo County, California, USA on the San Francisco Peninsula, about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. It is an affluent small residential suburb located between Belmont to the north and Redwood City to the south. San Carlos' ZIP code is 94070, and it is within...
. Granholm graduated from San Carlos High School
San Carlos High School
San Carlos High School was a high school that the Sequoia Union High School District operated in San Carlos, California, United States, 1960–1982. Its enrollment declined from a peak of 2,500 until it closed.The school was demolished in 1988...
in 1977. She won the Miss San Carlos beauty pageant. As a young adult she attempted to launch a Hollywood acting career but was unsuccessful and she abandoned her efforts at the age of 21. She held jobs as a tour guide
Tour guide
A tour guide provides assistance, information and cultural, historical and contemporary heritage interpretation to people on organized tours, individual clients, educational establishments, at religious and historical sites, museums, and at venues of other significant interest...
at Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, within customer service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and was the first female tour guide at Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
, piloting boats with 25 tourists aboard. In 1980, she became a United States citizen and worked for John Anderson's independent run for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. She graduated from UC-Berkeley in 1984 Phi Beta Kappa with two B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degrees, one in political science, the other in French. Granholm then earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, also with honors.
She clerked for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
. In 1990 she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over of the eastern portion of the state of Michigan. The Court is based in Detroit, with courthouses also located in Ann Arbor, Bay City, Flint, and Port Huron...
. In 1994, she was appointed Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
Corporation Counsel
Corporation Counsel
The Corporation Counsel is the title given to the chief legal officer in some municipal and county jurisdictions, who handles civil claims against the city, including negotiating settlements and defending the city when it is sued. Most corporation counsels do not prosecute criminal cases, though...
.
Granholm, like California Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, was once a contestant on the daytime television
Daytime television
Daytime television is the general term for television shows produced that are intended to air during the daytime hours on weekdays. This article is about American daytime television, for information about international daytime television see Daytime television....
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
The Dating Game
The Dating Game
The Dating Game is an ABC television show that first aired on December 20, 1965 and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s...
.
Michigan Attorney General
Granholm was elected Michigan Attorney GeneralMichigan Attorney General
The Attorney General of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, members of the Senate and...
in 1998, defeating the Republican nominee, John Smietanka
John Smietanka
John Smietanka was the prosecutor for Berrien County, Michigan, from 1974 to 1981, and a United States Attorney in Western Michigan, appointed by Ronald Reagan, from 1981 until 1994.- Career as a U.S. attorney :...
, 52 percent to 48 percent. The first woman to hold that position, she served for four years (1999–2003), focusing on protecting citizens and consumers and establishing Michigan's first High Tech Crime Unit. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Granholm directed state agencies to work with lawmakers in keeping the fight against terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
within the powers of the state. She also imposed a regulation on gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
dealers to keep them from raising prices dramatically, something which occurred sporadically across Michigan immediately following the attacks.
2002 campaign for Governor
In the 2002 election, she defeated former Governor James BlanchardJames Blanchard
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard is a politician from the US state of Michigan. A Democrat, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives, as the 45th Governor of Michigan, and as United States Ambassador to Canada....
and House Democratic Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
David Bonior in the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, and then went on to win the gubernatorial election
Michigan gubernatorial election, 2002
The Michigan gubernatorial election of 2002 was one of the 36 United States gubernatorial elections held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Republican John Engler, after serving three terms, had stepped down and was not running; his lieutenant governor Dick Posthumus, also a Republican, ran in his place...
against the Republican
Michigan Republican Party
The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party....
nominee, Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
Dick Posthumus
Dick Posthumus
Richard Posthumus is an American farmer, businessman, and politician. He was the 59th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan and majority leader of the Michigan Senate. In 2002, he was the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan....
, to become governor.
First Term: 2003-2007
The main issue facing the governor was the massive budget deficit. Granholm has had to eliminate upwards of $200 per person from state budget expenditures, successfully resolving over $14 billion in budget deficits. She has emphasized the need for the state to attract young people and businesses to Michigan via the Cool Cities InitiativeCool Cities Initiative
Cool Cities Initiative is an initiative started by Governor Jennifer Granholm to spur growth and investment in Michigan during a period of economic decline. The Initiative was proposed in 2003 in response to students attending college in Michigan and then seeking employment out of state...
. As Governor, she was a member of the National Governors Association
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
. She was chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and was co-chair of the Health Care Task Force of the National Governors Association
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
. She is also a former Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association
Midwestern Governors Association
The Midwestern Governors Association is a 501 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the Midwestern governors of states to work cooperatively on public policy issues of significance to the region. The MGA was created in December 1962 in Chicago, when articles of organization were...
. She lived in the official Michigan Governor's Residence
Michigan Governor's Residence
The Michigan Governor's Mansion is located in the U.S. state capital of Lansing, Michigan. The gated mansion is in a secured area of a private neighborhood. An official summer residence is located on Mackinac Island. Both residences are owned by the state of Michigan and are maintained with...
located near the Capitol Building.
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
, which connects the state's two peninsulas, in 47 minutes during the Mackinac Bridge Walk
Mackinac Bridge Walk
The Mackinac Bridge Walk is an annual event held every Labor Day since 1958 in Michigan in which people may walk the length of the Mackinac Bridge. Walkers are traditionally led across by the governor of Michigan, currently Rick Snyder....
. Her run began a new tradition, and 2004 saw the first annual Governor’s Labor Day Bridge Run held hours before the Annual Bridge Walk. This time she finished the run in under 45 minutes.
During Granholm’s first year in office, she made a significant number of budget cuts to deal with a $1.7 billion deficit (about 2% of the annual state budget). She was upset by proposals to cut state funding to social welfare programs, such as homeless shelters and mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
agencies. During an interview, she reflected on her view of the proper perspective of budget cuts:
- "Often those who cloak themselves in a cape of religiosity happen to be some who are the biggest cutters. Now, some of that can balance out. But when you get to cutting the services for the least of these in the 25th chapter of Matthew in the 37th verse the Lord says, 'Whatsoever you do to the least of these, so also you do unto me' that's when I question whether somebody is really living out the faith that they profess." The interviewer noted that Granholm would be criticized, but she hoped that everyone would “keep those values in mind . . .through the budget process.” Betsy DeVosBetsy DeVosElisabeth "Betsy" DeVos is an American politician and school choice activist from the state of Michigan. She is a former chairperson of the Michigan Republican Party.-Family background and education:...
, the chairman of the Michigan Republican PartyMichigan Republican PartyThe Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party....
(1996–2000, 2003–05), was upset that Granhom had decided “to cloak her views on balancing the budget in religious terms in order to demonize her political opponents.” Granholm responded that she did not think her response was controversial, and she said that many people of faith are serving in state government.
Granholm has been a proponent of education reform since the first year of her term. In her first State of the State Address in 2003, Granholm announced Project Great Start to focus on reforming education for children from birth to age 5. Project Great Start has coordinated public and private efforts to encourage educating new parents and encouraging parents to read to their children.
Granholm emphasized post-secondary education for Michiganders following the decline in Michigan manufacturing jobs, many of which did not require a college degree. In 2004, she asked Lt. Governor John D. Cherry
John D. Cherry
John D. Cherry was the 60th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan of the U.S. state of Michigan from 2003 to 2011. Cherry served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, and was the immediate past chair of the international Great Lakes Commission .Cherry was an announced...
to lead a Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth to double the number of college graduates in Michigan. Many of the Commission's recommendations were enacted into law during Granholm's tenure as governor, like increasing high school graduation standards (The Michigan Merit Curriculum) so that every Michigan high school student takes a college preparatory curriculum, which included four years of math and English/language arts and three years of science and social studies, beginning with students who entered high school in the fall of 2006.
At an awards ceremony on October 28, 2004, Granholm was inducted into the "Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame honors distinguished women, both historical and contemporary, who have been associated with the U.S. state of Michigan. It is housed in the Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame building, located at 213 W. Malcolm X St. in downtown Lansing, Michigan...
". She has also been the recipient of the Michigan Jaycees 1999 "Outstanding Young Michiganders" and the YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
"Woman of the Year" awards.
In February 2005, Michigan's Republican-dominated Legislature refused to vote on Granholm's proposed state budget, citing concerns over cuts to state funding for higher education. In the previous years of Granholm's term, many cuts to higher education had been demanded and voted in the Legislature in order to balance the state budget. The year before, Republican leaders had called Granholm a "do-nothing Governor", claiming that she failed to lead, while Democrats accused legislative Republicans of being obstructionist. In January 2005, Granholm presented an early budget proposal, demanded immediate response from the Legislature, and held a press conference outlining the highlights of the proposed budget. After refusing to consider, debate, or vote on the proposed budget, Republicans stated they would prefer that the Legislature have more involvement in the formation of the state budget.
Michigan's economy has been losing jobs since 2000, largely based on the decline in the American manufacturing sector. Granholm supported diversification Michigan's economy away from its historical reliance on automotive manufacturing. She pushed through a $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund to attract jobs to Michigan in the life sciences, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, and homeland security sectors. Granholm also supported alternative energy jobs to Michigan to replace lost auto manufacturing jobs.
2006 campaign
Granholm ran for a second term in the 2006 election
Michigan gubernatorial election, 2006
The Michigan gubernatorial election of 2006 was one of the 36 U.S. gubernatorial elections held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm was re-elected over Republican businessman Dick DeVos, Libertarian Gregory Creswell, Green Douglas Campbell, and U.S. Taxpayer Candidate...
. Her opponents were Republican businessman and politician Dick DeVos
Dick DeVos
Dick DeVos is a businessman and Republican politician from Michigan. The son of billionaire Amway co-founder Richard DeVos, he served as CEO of the multi-level marketing consumer goods distribution company from 1993–2002...
, Libertarian
Libertarian Party of Michigan
The Libertarian Party of Michigan was founded in Taylor, Michigan in 1972 and remains on the ballot; as Michigan’s third oldest active political party...
Gregory Creswell
Gregory Creswell
Gregory “Greg” Creswell is a Libertarian politician from Michigan. He made the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign for governor. The measure passed, by a 16% margin, even though it was opposed by Creswell's gubernatorial rivals and a conglomerate of groups called...
, Green
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Douglas Campbell
Douglas Campbell (Michigan politician)
Douglas Campbell is a two-time Green Party Candidate for Governor of Michigan and a 2008 candidate for the United States House of Representatives. In 2002 Campbell received 25,236 votes...
, and the Constitution (US Taxpayers) Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
candidate Bhagwan Dashairya.
The state's unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
rate hovered around seven percent for much of her term. Additionally, Michigan ranked #49 in retaining young adults between 2000 and 2005, again attributed to the sluggish economy.
Both the Granholm campaign and the Michigan Democratic Party
Michigan Democratic Party
The Michigan Democratic Party is the state-level party of the United States Democratic Party in Michigan. It is based in Lansing. Mark Brewer is the current Party Chair.-Current officeholders:...
put out television commercials produced by Joe Slade White
Joe Slade White
Joe Slade White is a Democratic political strategist and media consultant. His past clients have included Presidential candidates, U.S. Senators, Governors, Members of Congress, and Mayors, as well as statewide and local initiatives throughout the country.-Career:At the age of 21, White was hired...
which focused on her efforts to revive Michigan's economy and accused Dick DeVos
Dick DeVos
Dick DeVos is a businessman and Republican politician from Michigan. The son of billionaire Amway co-founder Richard DeVos, he served as CEO of the multi-level marketing consumer goods distribution company from 1993–2002...
of cutting Michigan jobs while he was head of what was then called Amway
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
.
Granholm won re-election, defeating DeVos. The margin (rounded to the nearest percent) was 56 percent (Granholm), 42 percent (DeVos), one percent (Gregory Creswell
Gregory Creswell
Gregory “Greg” Creswell is a Libertarian politician from Michigan. He made the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign for governor. The measure passed, by a 16% margin, even though it was opposed by Creswell's gubernatorial rivals and a conglomerate of groups called...
), one percent (Douglas Campbell
Douglas Campbell (Michigan politician)
Douglas Campbell is a two-time Green Party Candidate for Governor of Michigan and a 2008 candidate for the United States House of Representatives. In 2002 Campbell received 25,236 votes...
) and one percent (Bhagwan Dashairya). Granholm polled 4.9 percent higher than she did in her first gubernatorial election in 2002.
Second term: 2007-2011
The 2006 elections saw a return to power by the Democrats in the Michigan State House of RepresentativesMichigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
but the retention of Republican control over the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
. The partisan division of power in Michigan's state government led to a showdown between Granholm and Republican lawmakers over the FY2008 state budget that resulted in a four-hour shutdown of non-essential state services in the early morning of October 1, 2007 until a budget was passed and signed. The budget cut services, increased the state income tax and created a new set of service taxes on a variety of business activities, from ski lift tickets to interior design and landscaping, to address a state budget shortfall. As a result of the controversial budget, some taxpayer and business advocates called for a recall campaign against Granholm and lawmakers who voted for the tax increases.
The budget crisis eventually led Standard & Poors to downgrade Michigan's credit rating
Bond credit rating
In investment, the bond credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of a corporation's or government debt issues. It is analogous to credit ratings for individuals.-Table:...
from AA to AA-. Additionally, the crisis contributed to sinking approval ratings for Granholm, which stood at 43 percent in August 2007, to a low of 32 percent in December 2007. She had one of the lowest approval ratings for any Governor in the United States. The divided Michigan legislature received an even lower approval rating of 18 percent in the same poll.
In 2007, Granholm proposed and signed into law the No Worker Left Behind program to provide two years of free training or community college for unemployed and displaced workers. Since its launch in August 2007, over 61,434 people have received training through No Worker Left Behind. The program caps tuition assistance at $5000 per year for two years, or $10,000 per person, and covers retraining in high-demand occupations and emerging industries.Results of this program were mixed. More than two years after the program was launched, only 16,164 people had completed the program and found new jobs. Over twice as many people had enrolled in the program had either dropped out or were still unemployed after completing the program. In fact, 47% of those who did complete the program failed to find a new job.
Granholm delivered her sixth State of the State address on January 29, 2008. The speech was focused mainly on creating jobs in Michigan's economy through bringing alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
companies to Michigan. Through passing a Renewable Portfolio Standard
Renewable Portfolio Standard
A Renewable Portfolio Standard is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal...
, which would require that by 2015, 10 percent of Michigan's energy would come from renewable sources and 25 percent by 2025, Granholm expects the alternative energy industry to emerge in Michigan. Since the passage of the standard, Mariah Power, Global Wind Systems, Cascade Swift Turbine, Great Lakes Turbine and 38 other companies have all announced new projects in Michigan. Solar and Wind power now provide over 10,000 jobs in Michigan. As a result of Granholm's efforts, Michigan is now fourth in the nation for number of jobs in the solar industry and first in the nation for clean energy patents.
Granholm also called in the speech for an incentive package to offer tax breaks to filmmakers who shoot in Michigan and use local crews in production. A package of bills offering film industry incentives was approved by both houses of the Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
and signed into law by Granholm on April 7, 2008.
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
was moved up to January 15, leading the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
to strip the Michigan Democratic Party
Michigan Democratic Party
The Michigan Democratic Party is the state-level party of the United States Democratic Party in Michigan. It is based in Lansing. Mark Brewer is the current Party Chair.-Current officeholders:...
of its delegates (Michigan historically held its caucuses on February 9). Granholm has been named by some as a possible candidate for United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
. She is currently the Policy Chair of the Democratic Governors Association
Democratic Governors Association
The Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C. based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic...
.
On April 29, 2008, Granholm had emergency surgery to fix a bowel obstruction that stemmed from a 1993 accident. Because of the surgery, Granholm had to postpone a trip to Israel and Kuwait.
In response to a May 14, 2008 resolution by the Detroit City Council to request that Granholm remove Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is a former mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Kilpatrick's mayorship was plagued by numerous scandals and rampant accusations of corruption, with the mayor eventually resigning after being charged with ten felony counts, including perjury and obstruction of justice...
from office in response to eight (later ten) felony counts against him, Granholm began an inquiry, which culminated in a removal hearing on September 3, 2008. On September 3, Granholm outlined the legal basis for the hearings, arguments were made and three witnesses were called. In the morning of September 4, Kilpatrick agreed to two plea deals, pleading guilty to two counts of perjury and no contest
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
to one count of assaulting and obstructing a police officer in two separate cases. Both of the deals required his resignation. When the hearing reconvened later that day, Granholm stated that the hearing would be adjourned until September 22 as a result of the plea deals; if Kilpatrick's resignation becomes effective before that date, the hearing would then be cancelled.
In September 2008, Gov. Granholm undertook the role of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
in a series of practice debates with Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden.
With the election of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
as President, Granholm joined his economic advisory team and there was speculation that she may join the Obama administration.
On May 13, 2009, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that President Obama was considering Granholm, among others, for possible appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Eventually Obama chose Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
.
In 2010, Granholm was unable to seek re-election due to Michigan's term limits. Governor Granholm's tenure ended on January 1, 2011, when Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Rick Snyder was sworn in.
Over eight years, Granholm’s efforts in partnership with her economic development team have resulted in more than 653,000 direct jobs created or retained and spurred more than $57 billion in private investment in nearly 4,000 economic development projects. While she was Governor, Site Selection magazine repeatedly named Michigan one of the top three states in the country for recruiting new businesses and projects. Michigan was also twice recognized by The Pew Center on the States as one of the best-managed states in the nation. According to the Gallup Job Creation Index, Michigan led the country in the improvement of job market conditions between 2009 and 2010. However, over this same period, Michigan also reached its highest unemployment rate ever, and was the highest unemployment rate in the entire nation.
During her tenure, Michigan was repeatedly recognized as the #1 digital state in the nation; the state’s web site carried top honors for years and the state has consolidated over 40 statewide e-mail systems down to just two (reducing e-mail support staff by half and hardware requirements by nearly 90%), and consolidated 37 separate data centers down to just three, saving millions while improving the overall security and quality.
Post-gubernatorial career
Governor Granholm is a Distinguished Practitioner of Law and Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. In autumn 2011, she is teaching a graduate class entitled "Governing in Tough Times." As a Senior Advisor to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Clean Energy Program, Granholm leads a national campaign for a national clean energy policy that promotes and funds research and manufacturing for wind, solar and advanced battery industries in the U.S.. She’s a regular contributor to NBC’s political talk show, “Meet the PressMeet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
,” is authoring a book, A Governor's Story: The Fight For Jobs and America's Economic Future (Release Date: Sept. 20, 2011), with her husband on the lessons Michigan’s experience can offer to America, and serves on the board of directors for The Dow Chemical Company.. On October 12, 2011, Current TV
Current TV
Current TV, or Current, is a media company led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt. Comcast owns a ten percent stake of Current's parent company, Current Media LLC....
announced that Granholm would be joining its new political prime-time lineup as host of the new program The War Room with Jennifer Granholm
The War Room with Jennifer Granholm
The War Room with Jennifer Granholm is an upcoming news and political commentary program to be hosted by former Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm on Current TV...
.
Personal life
In 1986 she married Daniel Mulhern, a Michigan native, and took his surname as her middle name. They have three children: Kathryn, Cecelia, and Jack.As governor of Michigan, Granholm was afforded the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Her Excellency while in office. Upon leaving office, she retains the title of Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) and Governor for life.
On October 21, 2010, Granholm was made a Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
, First Class by the King of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
"for her work in fostering relations between Michigan and Sweden to promote a clean energy economy.".
Electoral history
External links
- Granholm Leadership Fund official leadership fund site
- Michigan Department of State 2002 official election results
- Michigan Department of State 2006 official election results
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