‘Governor Buttigieg’ Has a Real Ring to It, Don't You Think?
How strong queer candidates can help Democrats make up lost ground
A new year has arrived and it’s brought a most unwelcome guest to the party: new and improved political anxiety and uncertainty. We know what’s about to happen here in Michigan — bye, bye state government trifecta — but we don’t know exactly what that will mean for the LGBTQ+ community.
Strong voices in the House of Representatives, including Laurie Pohutsky, Jason Hoskins, Jason Morgan, Noah Arbit and Emily Dievendorf, are sure to be countered by fierce resistance by the Michigan GOP, which will lead a slim majority in that chamber. Will typical MAGA infighting keep the fractured Republican party so busy they’ll forget to target the LGBTQ+ community with the kind of baseless, cruel legislation that has become law in places like Ohio, where soon, it will be illegal for trans community members to pee in many public restrooms and where gender-affirming care has been outlawed for trans youth? Or will it be open season on our community?
Honestly, it’s way too easy to catastrophize on this subject. The what-ifs of it all can become far too consuming and emotionally unhealthy. But hear me out — what if we tried an exercise in whatever the opposite of catastrophizing is? Let’s manifest a dream for Michigan in the not-so-distant future that might keep us warm in this latest winter of our collective discontent.
In fact, let’s dream a dream where a benevolent, somewhat dorky (but somehow dreamy) pair of queer Michiganders leads us toward bright new horizons…
With Pete Buttigieg and Dana Nessel at the helm, Michigan will finally realize its destiny as the homosexual utopia we’ve been promised by MAGA candidates for several years now. A cat on every windowsill and four weeks of paid time off each June so we can actually attend all 4,500 Pride festivals across the Great Lake state. Sequined drag queens everywhere. An androgynous, no-holds-barred love fest from Marquette to Ypsilanti. The first First-Gentleman-Married-to-a-Man in state history.
The Buttigieg-as-Michigan-governor scenario doesn’t come out of nowhere, by the way. There has been a groundswell of very exciting chatter on this front since Pete appeared on Fox News to counter idiotic MAGA talking points last summer. The AP reports that Michigan Democrats are courting the U.S. Transportation Secretary to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2026. Buttigieg has yet to comment beyond noting that he’d wait until after the Biden administration comes to a close.
Anyway, the Buttigieg-Nessel ticket (or the Nessel-Buttigieg ticket; we are cool with both — we just figure Pete can attract more national donations) will offer all of this and more. Remember that time someone invaded Pete’s privacy and snapped a thirst trap shot of him minding his own business jogging in Traverse City where he and husband Chasten own a home? Now picture more opportunities for that kind of content, but conveniently located in central mid-Michigan’s capital city!
Dana, in her new key role as lieutenant (but again, Gov. Nessel is just fine), will all but assure the rise of feline dominance in Michigan for generations to come. A cat on every pantsuit-adorned lap, thank you very much.
In all seriousness, though, it’s clear that Democrats aren’t winning elections by playing to the increasingly right-leaning middle — the one all too happy to sit at home and not vote versus listening to the urgent pleas of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community about what was at stake in the 2024 election. About what’s at stake in 2025 and beyond. Candidates who did win are candidates who weren’t afraid to say gay. Or lesbian. Or transgender. Voters respond to leaders who embrace and promote their beliefs while firmly advocating for their constituents. Far too many Democrats in this cycle weren’t willing to do that for fear of alienating the so-called “middle,” and the result was shockingly low turnout after such an expensive, endless, chaotic campaign that drove every media cycle for months on end.
We know openly queer, vocal candidates can win because Michigan has elected several at this point, including Attorney General Nessel, Senate President Pro Tempore Jeremy Moss, the aforementioned state reps, and dozens of candidates to county and local offices. These candidates not only live their lives out and proud but also campaign on protecting the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community, a completely non-controversial concept that plenty of voters respond to with positivity and enthusiasm. Queer issues aren’t typically the centerpieces of these campaigns, but they also aren’t wishy-washy, backburner concerns the candidates are reluctant to address.
These candidates simply speak their truth on the matter without overthinking it. I’m confident they’d do well in a gubernatorial or even a presidential race. The actual middle-of-the-road voter isn’t fixated on oppressing LGBTQ+ people and responds well to candidates who own who they are and detail their agenda to make life better in myriad ways for other regular folks. Democratic leaders need to stop playing into the hands of bigoted MAGA candidates who get off on painting us into corners and getting us to focus on responding to baseless, harmful claims instead of focusing on the harms they create and the plans we want to implement. Shut that shit down and get back to business. The end. When we dignify imaginary accusations based on dumb stereotypes, bigots win.
Buttigieg and Nessel (and Moss and so many other candidates) reflect the kind of real Michigan Democratic candidates I want to see more of in upcoming elections, and not just because I’d love to watch the Buttigieg kids grow up in the governor’s mansion.
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