LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Roger Hauck, R-Mt. Pleasant, issued the following statement Wednesday evening after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2026 State of the State address:
“Tonight’s speech felt less like a plan for Michigan’s future and more like a closing argument for the governor’s legacy. After seven years in office, it’s natural to want to look back at milestones, but the reality is that a governor’s legacy isn’t defined by speeches — it’s defined by the actual results Michigan families see in their daily lives.
“When this administration began in 2018, there was a genuine sense of momentum in our state. Families were optimistic, and businesses were ready to invest. Unfortunately, over the last seven years, that optimism has been replaced by a sobering reality.
“The numbers don’t lie. Michigan is currently lagging behind nearly every other state, ranking 45th in employment and 40th in per-capita income. We are facing a crisis in basic services, from ranking 41st in electric rates to being dead last in reliability. This didn’t happen by accident; it’s the direct result of the policies we’ve seen over the course of this administration.
“For the first time in a long time, Michigan families are asking themselves: Are we actually better off today than we were seven years ago?
“Despite record-breaking education budgets, our schools are struggling — 75% of our fourth graders aren’t reading proficiently. At the same time, the cost of living and housing has become a massive burden for the middle class. While families are tightening their belts, state government has done the opposite. The budget has ballooned by over 40%, a massive surplus has been spent, and now the solution being offered is to ask taxpayers for even more.
“That is the legacy being built today, regardless of how it’s being marketed. A true success story would be a Michigan that leads the nation in jobs, affordability and opportunity — a state where people are moving in, not moving out.
“The governor can frame this as a success, but history won’t be written by headlines. It will be written on whether or not the people of Michigan are actually better off.”
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