Gretchen Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is a former Democratic member of the Michigan Senate and Senate Democratic Leader. She represented the 23rd District following a special election in March 2006 to replace Virg Bernero, who was elected mayor of Lansing the previous November. Whitmer was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. On November 5, 2010, her Democratic colleagues chose Whitmer to be the Senate Democratic Leader.