Jennifer Granholm

Infobox Governor
name= Jennifer M. Granholm

---

order= 47th
office= Governor of Michigan
term_start= January 1, 2003
lieutenant= John D. Cherry
predecessor= John Engler
successor=Incumbent
alma_mater= University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University
residence= Northville, Michigan
birth_date= birth date and age|mf=yes|1959|02|05
birth_place= Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
spouse= Daniel Mulhern
religion= Roman Catholic
profession= Lawyer
party=Democratic

Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian-born American politician, former Attorney General of Michigan, and the current Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor John Engler. Granholm was re-elected on November 7, 2006, and was sworn in for her second and, due to term limits, final term on January 1, 2007. She has been mentioned as a potential Supreme Court justice candidate should Barack Obama win the 2008 presidential election. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Obama court pick could be Granholm |url=http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/POLITICS/810070312 |work=Washington Post |publisher= |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate= ]

Early life and career

Granholm was born to Shirley Alfreda Dowden and Victor Ivar Granholm. [Reitwiesner, William Addams. [http://www.wargs.com/political/granholm.html "The Ancestors of Jennifer Granholm"] . "WARGS" (Personal website of William Addams Reitwiesner).] Granholm's paternal grandfather, who immigrated to Canada in the 1930s, came from Robertsfors, Sweden, where his father was mayor. [Sandberg, Hans [http://66.51.163.8/cms/File/currents/FallNovember2007/Michigan_to_Sweden.pdf "Michigan to Sweden Let’s Work Together"] . "Currents", Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce, Fall 2007.] Granholm's family moved to California when she was four. She grew up in Anaheim, San Jose and San Carlos. Granholm graduated from San Carlos High School, located in San Carlos, California, in 1977. She won the Miss San Carlos beauty pageant.cite web|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2008/people/mi/migv.php|title=Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D)|accessdate=2008-09-05|publisher=National Journal Group Inc.] As a young adult she attempted to launch a Hollywood acting career but was unsuccessful and she abandoned her efforts at the age of 21.Detroit Free Press, 11/6/02, "Shes' the Boss - Granholm wins a place in history as Michigan Elects the state's first female governor".] She held jobs as a tour guide at Universal Studios, within customer service for the "Los Angeles Times" and was the first female tour guide at Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City, piloting boats with 25 tourists aboard. In 1980, she became a United States citizen and worked for John Anderson's independent run for US President, and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley. She graduated from UC-Berkeley in 1984 Phi Beta Kappa with two BA degrees, one in political science, the other in French. Granholm then earned a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, also with honors. She clerked for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1986 she married current First Gentleman Daniel Mulhern, a Michigan native, and took his surname as her middle name; they have three children: Kathryn, Cecelia, and Jack. In 1990 she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In 1994, she was appointed Wayne County Corporation Counsel.

Granholm, like California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was once a contestant on the daytime television game show "The Dating Game". [Clift, Eleano. [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3067728/site/newsweek/ "Jennifer Granholm: Brainy, Blond and Ready to Rumble"] . "Newsweek" (January 6, 2007). MSNBC website. (Accessed June 29, 2007)]

Michigan Attorney General

Granholm was elected Michigan Attorney General in 1998, defeating the Republican nominee, John Smietanka, 52 percentndash 48 percent. She was the first woman to hold that position, serving for four years (1999–2002) and focusing on protecting citizens and consumers, and establishing Michigan's first HighTech Crime Unit. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Granholm directed state agencies to work with lawmakers in keeping the fight against terrorism within the powers of the state. She also imposed a regulation on gasoline dealers to keep them from raising prices dramatically, something which occurred sporadically across Michigan immediately following the attacks.

Campaign for Governor

In the 2002 election, she defeated former Governor James Blanchard and House Democratic Whip David Bonior in the Democratic primary, and then went on to win the general election against the Republican nominee, Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus, to become governor.

Granholm was accused in the 2002 Democratic primary of several allegations of cronyism while working as Wayne County Corporation Counsel.

Her husband, Daniel Mulhern, had received several contracts for his leadership training company shortly after Granholm left her position as a Wayne County Corporation Counsel in 1998. He received nearly $300,000 worth of contracts, despite being the highest bidder for one of those contracts. Opponents criticized Granholm supporters for engaging in cronyism and giving contracts to her husband immediately after leaving county employment. Granholm and her supporters responded that no ethical violations occurred and that Mulhern had earned the contracts on his own merits. [cite news |first=Chad |last=Selweski |coauthors= |title=Granholm supporters helped her husband secure Wayne County contracts |date=January 13, 2002 |publisher=Macomb Daily |url=http://204.176.34.196/macombdaily/article.asp?ID=2971927 |accessdate=2006-11-13 |language=]

Former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard and former Representative David Bonior faced Granholm in the Democratic primary and criticized her handling of contracting procedures at Detroit Metro Airport. Granholm was Wayne County Corporation Counsel when the questionable corporate contracts on two parking projects took place from "an apparent pattern of cronyism and no-bid contracts," which prompted investigation by the FBI and by state and local auditors. She ordered a review as State Attorney General. Blanchard and Bonior criticized her for "reviewing" the project rather than ordering a full investigation, and Bonior insisted that Granholm should remove herself from the case. Granholm defended that she had taken the appropriate action and continued to oversee the review. [cite news |first= |last= |coauthors=Chris Christoff and Dawson Bell |title=Hopefuls civil at last debate |date=July 23, 2002 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url= |accessdate= |language=] [cite news |first=Chris |last=Christoff |coauthors= |title=Granholm zooms up in poll for governor |date=March 2, 2002 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url= |accessdate= |language=] [cite news |first= |last= |coauthors=Tina Lam and Dennis Niemiec |title=Bonior asks for probe of Metro deals |date=January 29, 2002 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url= |accessdate= |language=]

Shortly before the 2002 gubernatorial election, a memo was released to reporters from Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick addressed to Granholm. It asked that, in exchange for his support and Detroit votes, Granholm must provide jobs and appointments for Detroit natives. The memo proposed numerous specific ways that Granholm could help if elected, including ensuring that 20 percent of new political appointees were African-American. Granholm’s opponent, Republican Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus, publicly denounced the “corrupt pact” between Kilpatrick and Granholm. She said that she had never seen the memo, and she stated that she would never “respond to those kinds of demands.” In addition, Kilpatrick said he had not written the memo or signed off on its terms. [cite news |first=Dawson |last=Bell |coauthors= |title=Granholm denies a deal with Kilpatrick |date=October 1, 2002 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url= |accessdate= |language=]

Governor

Granholm was sworn in as the 47th Governor of the state of Michigan on January 1, 2003. The main issue facing the governor has been the massive budget deficit. Granholm has had to eliminate upwards of $200 per person from state budget expenditures. She has emphasized the need for the state to attract young people and businesses to Michigan. As Governor, she is a member of the National Governors Association and Policy Chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association. She lives in the official Michigan Governor's Residence located near the Capitol Building.

In 2003, Granholm ran five miles across the Mackinac Bridge, which connects the state's two peninsulas, in 47 minutes during the Mackinac Bridge Walk. Her run began a new tradition, and 2004 saw the first annual Governor’s Labor Day Bridge Run [ [http://www.michiganfitness.org/bridgerun.html Governor’s Labor Day Bridge Run] ] held hours before the Annual Bridge Walk. This time she finished the run in under 45 minutes. After joining her husband Daniel Mulhern for the last two miles of his October 24, 2004 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon run, Granholm remarked "I would love to run a marathon before I'm 50."

During Granholm’s first year in office, she made a significant number of budget cuts. She was upset by proposals to cut state funding to social welfare programs, such as homeless shelters and mental health agencies. During an interview, she reflected on the proper perspective of budget cuts::"Often those who cloak themselves in a cape of religiosity happen to be some who are the biggest cutters. Now, some of that can balance out. But when you get to cutting the services for the least of thesendash in the 25th chapter of Matthew in the 37th verse the Lord says, 'Whatsoever you do to the least of these, so also you do unto me'ndash that's when I question whether somebody is really living out the faith that they profess." The interviewer noted that Granholm would be criticized, but she hoped that everyone would “keep those values in mind . . .through the budget process.” Betsy DeVos, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party (1996–2000, 2003–05), was upset that Granhom had decided “to cloak her views on balancing the budget in religious terms in order to demonize her political opponents.” Granholm responded that she did not think her response was controversial, and she said that many people of faith are serving in state government. [cite news |first= |last= |coauthors=Dan Shine and Kathleen Gray |title=On cut, Granholm cites Bible, draws wrath |date=January 3, 2004 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url= |accessdate= |language=]

At an awards ceremony on October 28, 2004, Granholm was inducted into the "Michigan Women's Hall of Fame". She has also been the recipient of the Michigan Jaycees 1999 "Outstanding Young Michiganders" and the YWCA "Woman of the Year" awards.

In February 2005, Michigan's Republican-dominated Legislature refused to vote on Granholm's proposed state budget, citing concerns over cuts to state funding for higher education. [Panels pass over Granholm plan to cut budget By Tim Martin [http://lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050216/NEWS04/502160352 (Source: Lansing State Journal, Feb. 16, 2005)] ] In the previous years of Granholm's term, many cuts to higher education had been demanded and voted in the Legislature in order to balance the state budget. The year before, Republican leaders had called Granholm a "do-nothing Governor", claiming that she failed to lead, while Democrats accused legislative Republicans of being obstructionist. In January 2005, Granholm presented an early budget proposal, demanded immediate response from the Legislature, and held a press conference outlining the highlights of the proposed budget. After refusing to consider, debate, or vote on the proposed budget, Republicans stated they would prefer that the Legislature have more involvement in the formation of the state budget. [Granholm-GOP impasse stalls her agenda By Chris Andrews [http://lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050417/NEWS04/504170340/1001/news Source: Lansing State Journal, Apr. 17, 2005.] ]

In March 2005, Granholm sought to withhold awarding scholarships earned through the MEAP scholarship program in order to trim an estimated $9 million from the state budget. The program awards $500 college scholarships to 11th-grade students that perform well on the "MEAP" standardized test. Granholm argued that the state had no internal means of determining which students had earned the scholarships. After much criticism, notably from the "Detroit Free Press", local area lawyers, and parents (who claimed to have received, and did produce, official letters promising the money), she awarded the students their scholarships, though the state's budget difficulties remained unresolved. Liz Boyd, a representative for Granholm, said though “In many regards, it was a hollow promise made by the Engler administration. They cut revenue and didn’t cut spending and we are still reeling from the effects of those decisions today.” [Amanda Pennington, [http://www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2005/02/25/News/House.Speaker.Knocks.Granholm.On.Meap-1429125.shtml?norewrite200607092350&sourcedomain=www.michigandaily.com House speaker knocks Granholm on MEAP] , Source: "The Michigan Daily", Feb 25, 2005.]

Granholm left for Japan on July 22, 2005, along with Michigan State University president Lou Anna K. Simon, and Department of Labor and Economic Growth Director (and former Lansing mayor) David Hollister. Their trip was planned, for the purpose of emphasizing Michigan as "the North American intersection of cutting-edge research, life sciences talent and high-tech innovation". They met with Shiga Prefecture Governor Yoshitsu Kunimatsu, Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe and the representatives of 150 Japanese automotive, biotech, and human sciences companies. On the first day of the five-day trip, July 25, Granholm led a seminar of 65 Japanese auto-related companies at the 2005 World Expo in Nagakute, Aichi. On July 26, Granholm met with DENSO Corp. (employing 4,500 workers in Michigan) President and CEO Koichi Fukaya at the company's D-Square facility in Kariya, Aichi. Granholm then met with Gov. Yoshitsu Kunimatsu aboard the Michigan paddlewheel boat on Shiga's Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. Like the Great Lakes (which surround Michigan), Lake Biwa has a history of fighting against an influx of invasive species, the Prefecture paying bounties to fishermen and hiring 43 official catchers to curb the growth of species which threaten the natural freshwater ecosystem. Shiga Prefecture is Michigan's "sister state", selected in 1968 due to their similarity in sharing their nation's largest freshwater resource. Granholm returned to work in Michigan the next Monday. [Granholm: Michigan has much to offer Japan By Chris Andrews [http://lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050723/NEWS04/507230329/1005/opinion Sources: Lansing State Journal, July 23, 2005] ] [Granholm Discusses Water Quality, Global Economy with Shiga Prefecture Governor [http://www.mi.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168--123116--,00.html Office of the Governor page at Michigan.gov website, July 26, 2005] ] She also signed a legislation to keep steroids out of schools and requiring school boards to write their own steroid policies, though the stance did not go as far as random drug testing of athletes. [Granholm signs legislation to keep steroids out of school [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/michigan/chi-ap-mi-xgr-steroidsinsch,1,1543464.story?coll=chi-newsap_mi-hed Source: Associated Press, July 26, 2006] ] She is trying to establish a $4000 scholarship for each Michigan college student. [http://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1155602405326040.xml&coll=1] [http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1157779359239420.xml&coll=7]

2006 campaign

Granholm ran for a second term in the 2006 election. Her opponents were Republican businessman and politician Dick DeVos, Libertarian Gregory Creswell, Green Douglas Campbell, and the Constitution (US Taxpayers) Party candidate Bhagwan Dashairya. [http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/06GEN/02000000.html 2006 Official Michigan General Election Results - Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position ] ]

The state's unemployment rate hovered around seven percent for much of her term. Additionally, Michigan ranked #49 in retaining young adults between 2000 and 2005, again attributed to the sluggish economy. [ cite news |last=Aguilar |first=Louis |title=Economic funk won't end in 2006 |publisher=The Detroit News |date=December 4, 2005 |url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051204/BIZ/512040341 |accessdate= 2006-10-18 ] [ cite news |coauthors=Gary Trowbridge & Amy Lee |title=Brain Drain |publisher=The Detroit News |date=August 4, 2006 |url=http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/METRO/608040335 |accessdate= 2006-10-18 ]

Both the Granholm campaign and the Michigan Democratic Party put out television commercials which focused on her efforts to revive Michigan's economy and accused Dick DeVos of cutting Michigan jobs while he was head of what was then called Amway. [http://www.michigandems.com/media/index.html]

Granholm won re-election, defeating DeVos. The margin (rounded to the nearest percent) was 56 percent (Granholm), 42 percent (DeVos), one percent (Gregory Creswell), one percent (Douglas Campbell) and Bhagwan Dashairya). Granholm polled 4.9 percent higher than she did in her first gubernatorial election in 2002.

econd term

The 2006 elections saw a return to power by the Democrats in the Michigan State House of Representatives but the retention of Republican control over the Michigan Senate. The partisan division of power in Michigan's state government led to a showdown between Granholm and Republican lawmakers over the FY2008 state budget that resulted in a four-hour shutdown of non-essential state services in the early morning of October 1, 2007 until a budget was passed and signed. [ [http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192--177142--,00.html SOM - Governor Granholm Says Comprehensive Budget Solution Resolves State's Fiscal Crisis ] ] The budget cut services, increased the state income tax and created a new set of service taxes on a variety of business activities, from ski lift tickets to interior design and landscaping, to address a state budget shortfall. As a result of the controversial budget, some taxpayer and business advocates called for a recall campaign against Granholm and lawmakers who voted for the tax increases. [cite news |first=Dawson |last=Bell |coauthors= |title=Recall voices unite against Granholm |date=October 4, 2007 |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/NEWS06/710040353/1008/NEWS06&theme=BUDGETCRISIS092007|accessdate= |language=]

The budget crisis eventually led Standard & Poors to downgrade Michigan's credit rating from AA to AA-. Additionally, the crisis contributed to sinking approval ratings for Granholm, which stood at 43 percent in August 2007 [ [http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=63463 wzzm13.com | Grand Rapids, MI | Survey USA shows slide in Gov. Granholm's approval rating ] ] , to a low of 32 percent in December 2007. The divided Michigan legislature received an even lower approval rating of 18 percent in the same poll. [ [http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071221/NEWS06/712210320/1008&theme=MICHIGANPOLL022007 Granholm, Legislature too divided, voters say ] ] .

Granholm delivered her sixth State of the State address on January 29, 2008. The speech was focused mainly on creating jobs in Michigan's economy through bringing alternative energy companies to Michigan. [cite news |first=Associated |last=Press coauthors= |title=Alternative energy key in Granholm's State of the State address |date=January 30, 2008 |publisher=M-Live |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/alternative_energy_key_in_gran.html|accessdate= |language=] Through passing a renewable portfolio standard, which would require that by 2015, 10 percent of Michigan's energy would come from renewable sources and 25 percent by 2025, Granholm expects the alternative energy industry to emerge in Michigan. [cite news |first=Chris |last=Andrews coauthors= |title=Powering up: Granholm out to generate support for alternative-energy industry |date=February 5, 2008 |publisher=Lansing State Journal url= http://www.wzzm13.com/news/specials/stateofmichigan_article.aspx?storyid=87226|accessdate= |language=] Granholm also called in the speech for an incentive package to offer tax breaks to filmmakers who shoot in Michigan and use local crews in production. A package of bills offering film industry incentives was approved by both houses of the Michigan Legislature and signed into law by Granholm on April 7, 2008. [cite news |first=Richard |last=Verrier coauthors= |title=Michigan to court Hollywood with hefty incentives |date=April 7, 2008 |publisher=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-michigan7apr07,1,2795103.story|accessdate= |language=]

Partly because of pressure from Granholm, Michigan's Democratic presidential primary was moved up to January 15, leading the Democratic National Committee to strip the Michigan Democratic Party of its delegates (Michigan historically held its caucuses on February 9). Granholm has been named a likely candidate for United States Attorney General in any Democratic administration. She is currently the Policy Chair of the Democratic Governors Association.

An August 2008 poll marked Granholm's approval rating at 37 percent. [ [http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080827/NEWS01/808270380] ]

In response to a May 14, 2008 resolution by the Detroit City Council to request that Granholm remove Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office in response to eight (later ten) felony counts against him, [Nick Bunkley. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/us/13cnd-detroit.html?ref=us Detroit Council Seeks Mayor’s Ouster.] Accessed May 14, 2008.] Granholm began an inquiry, [cite web |last=Gorchow |first=Zachary |coauthors=Ben Schmitt |date=2008-05-22 |title=Granholm starts Kilpatrick ouster inquiry
url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/news01/805220390 |work=freep.com |publisher=Detroit Free Press |accessdate=2008-05-27] which culminated in a removal hearing on September 3, 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/17322332/detail.html |title=Attorneys Hash Out Detroit Mayor Removal Hearing Rules |accessdate=2008-09-04 |work=clickondetroit.com |publisher=WDIV] On September 3, Granholm outlined the legal basis for the hearings, arguments were made and three witnesses were called. [cite web |url=http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/17358721/detail.html |title=Gov.'s Hearings To Remove Mayor Resume Thursday |accessdate=2008-09-04 |date=2008-09-03 |work=clickondetroit.com |publisher=WDIV] In the morning of September 4, Kilpatrick agreed to two plea deals, pleading guilty to two counts of perjury and no contest to one count of assaulting and obstructing a police officer in two separate cases. Both of the deals required his resignation. When the hearing reconvened later that day, Granholm stated that the hearing would be adjourned until September 22 as a result of the plea deals; if Kilpatrick's resignation becomes effective before that date, the hearing would then be cancelled. [cite web |url=http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/17390456/detail.html |title=Granholm: If Mayor Resigns Hearings To Be Cancelled |accessdate=2008-09-04 |date=2008-09-04 |work=clickondetroit.com |publisher=WDIV]

In September 2008, Gov. Granholm undertook the role of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin in a series of practice debates with Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden. [cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21debate.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin |title=Granholm: Pact on Debates Will Let McCain and Obama Spar |accessdate=2008-09-04 |date=2008-09-04 |work=nytimes.com |publisher=WDIV]

Electoral history

Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Jennifer Granholm
votes = 1,633,796
percentage = 51.4
change = "n/a"Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Dick Posthumus
votes = 1,506,104
percentage = 47.4
change = "n/a"Election box candidate with party link
|party = Green Party (United States)
candidate = Douglas Campbell
votes = 25,236
percentage = 0.8
change = "n/a"Election box candidate with party link
|party = Constitution Party (United States)
candidate = Joseph Pilchak
votes = 12,411
percentage = 0.4
change = "n/a"Election box candidate
|party = none
candidate = Write-in candidates
votes = 18
percentage = 0.0
change = "n/a"Election box majority
|votes = 127,692
percentage = 4.0
change =Election box turnout
|votes = 3,177,565
percentage = 100
change =Election box gain with party link
|winner = Democratic Party (US)
loser = Republican Party (US)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = Jennifer Granholm (Incumbent)
votes = 2,142,513
percentage = 56.3
change = +4.9Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Dick DeVos
votes = 1,608,086
percentage = 42.3
change =Election box candidate with party link
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Greg Creswell
votes = 23,524
percentage = 0.6
change = "n/a"Election box candidate with party link
|party = Green Party (United States)
candidate = Douglas Campbell
votes = 20,009
percentage = 0.5
change = -0.3Election box candidate with party link
|party = Constitution Party (United States)
candidate = Bhagwan Dashairya
votes = 7,087
percentage = 0.2
change = -0.3Election box candidate
|party = none
candidate = Write-in candidates
votes = 37
percentage = 0.0
change = "n/a"Election box majority
|votes = 534,427
percentage = 14.0
change =Election box turnout
|votes = 3,801,256
percentage = 100
change = +19.6Election box hold with party link
|winner = Democratic Party (US)
swing =

Notes

External links

* [http://www.michigan.gov/gov Michigan Office of the Governor Jennifer M. Granholm] official state site
* [http://www.jennifergranholm.com Granholm Leadership Fund] official leadership fund site
* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=1908224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD National Governors Association - Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm] biography
* [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200622&c=423791 Follow the Money - Jennifer M Granholm] 2006 campaign contributions
* [http://www.ontheissues.org/Jennifer_Granholm.htm On the Issues - Jennifer Granholm] issue positions and quotes
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BMI16681 Project Vote Smart - Jennifer M. Granholm (MI)] profile
* [http://www.michigandems.com Michigan Democratic Party]
* [http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/02GEN/02GENall.html Michigan Department of State] 2002 official election results
* [http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/06GEN/06GENall.html Michigan Department of State] 2006 official election results