Pete Buttigieg 1-on-1 talks about his support for Gov Whitmer on campaign trial

Pete Buttigieg campaigns in Ann Arbor for Whitmer, state's top Democrats

Buttigieg joined Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and others at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor - this going into the final weekend before voters have their say on Nov. 8.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - The US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was helping out Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the state's top Democrats on the campaign trail Friday.

Buttigieg joined Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and others at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor - this going into the final weekend before voters have their say on Nov. 8.

FOX 2 sat down with the secretary for a 1-on-1, looking at the big issues.

"For all of us. We basically have common sense solutions vs division and extremism," he said. "I mean it’s really come down to that."

Governor Whitmer leads GOP challenger Tudor Dixon by 11 points in the most recent EPIC-MRA poll. The former South Bend mayor - and now Michigan resident - says Whitmer’s ideas are in line with where the country needs to go on things like infrastructure and the manufacturing of electric vehicles.

"Making sure that our manufacturing sector is strong, our auto sector which is modernizing at an incredible pace," Buttigieg. "It’s so important that America lead the way especially as we see more EVs and other technology coming into our vehicles. And that only happens if you have policy makers who care about working people, who are focused on working people."

FOX 2: "On the other side, they’re saying there’s been too much spending with this administration, the governor’s administration. They’re talking about regulation. They want to cut regulation, 'de-reg' all of these things.
If the other side is successful in this election, where do you see Michigan fairing nationally and what happens over the next four years?"

"I'm worried that it could be a real setback," Buttigieg said. "I mean if they reverse the governor’s policies to invest in infrastructure for example, look, to me, that’s not spending, to get rid of it wouldn’t save money any more than not fixing a leaky roof would save money."

National Republicans are ripping the Secretary’s campaign trip. The RNC released a statement saying quote:

"Michiganders don’t want to hear about Biden bureaucrats like Pete Buttigieg using taxpayer dollars to campaign for president in Michigan. They want to know why Michigan Democrats like Gretchen Whitmer continue to push policies that raise prices, lower wages, and take parents out of the classroom."

— RNC Spokesperson Preya Samsundar

"This is a pocketbook election and that’s a big focus for us too right now," Buttigieg said. "Practical steps that are making us better off - the governor’s decision to fund K-12 education more than ever before, her agenda to fix 'the damn roads' as she says, and make sure we have great infrastructure."