MI-GOV: Gretchen Whitmer picks Garlin Gilchrist II as running mate in Michigan governor's race
Gilchrist, a trained software engineer, worked at Microsoft, helped run social media for Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign and ran national campaigns for the liberal activist group MoveOn.org. He returned to Detroit in 2014 as Mayor Mike Duggan’s director of innovation and emerging technology.
Gilchrist said his grandmother nurtured his love of technology when she “made me the first kid on my block to have a computer” at five years old.
“That set me on a path toward technology — and problem solving and learning how to fix things and make systems work,” he said.
Gilchrist told reporters Monday he’ll take a leave of absence from the Center for Social Media Responsibility to focus full-time on his campaign. He’s been at the center since February, where he led studies about media consumption and tried to develop tools to fight propaganda spread online.
Posthumus Lyons, Schuette's running mate, serves as Kent County clerk and has deep ties to West Michigan and the Republican Party. Her father, Dick Posthumus, was the lieutenant governor alongside Gov. John Engler and now serves as chief of staff to Gov. Rick Snyder. She’s seen as a unifying choice for Republicans following a bruising primary season.
The lieutenant governor’s duties include presiding over the Senate. Unlike Gilchrist, Posthumus Lyons — who chaired committees on education and elections and ethics during her 2011-2016 stint in the House — has legislative experience.
https://www.bridgemi.com/detroit-journalism-cooperative/gretchen-whitmer-officially-taps-garlin-gilchrist-ii-running-mate
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