Gretchen Whitmer and Tudor Dixon face their first debate this week

Michigan’s major gubernatorial candidates will square off in Grand Rapids on Thursday, Oct. 13, then again at Oakland University on Oct. 25.

Gretchen Whitmer, Tudor Dixon

Michigan’s major gubernatorial contenders head for their first face-to-face debate this week.

Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon square off in Grand Rapids on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The candidates meet again Oct. 25 at Oakland University.

Both candidates will take questions at the Detroit Economic Club on Oct. 21, though they will not debate each other.


Related: Detroit Evening Report: Gretchen Whitmer leads Tudor Dixon in latest election poll


The appearances come as Whitmer has far out-raised and out-spent her GOP rival – running ads hammering her anti-abortion stance.

Dixon counters by blasting Whitmer’s lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, saying they hurt Michigan’s economy, students and nursing home residents.

A recent CBS News/YouGov poll of 1,100 registered voters taken last week shows Whitmer leading Dixon by six points, with a margin of error of about 3.5 points.

But the vast majority of public polling during the campaign has placed Whitmer with a far larger double digit lead heading toward Election Day.

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Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter
    Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.