Karen Whitsett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Whitsett
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Whitsett in 2020
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| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Sylvia Santana |
| Constituency | 9th district (2019–2023) 4th district (2023–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 8, 1967 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jason |
Karen Whitsett was born on November 8, 1967. She is an American politician who has served in the Michigan House of Representatives since 2019. Currently, she represents the 4th district. Karen Whitsett is a member of the Democratic Party. She is sometimes seen as one of the more traditional Democrats in the House. In January 2025, Whitsett shared that she would not attend meetings with other House Democrats.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Karen Whitsett was born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 8, 1967. Detroit is a large city in the state of Michigan.
Serving in the State Legislature
Karen Whitsett has been a member of the Michigan House of Representatives since 2019. This is where state laws are made.
How She Was Elected
2018 Election
On November 6, 2018, Karen Whitsett won her first election. She became a Democratic member for District 9. Whitsett won by a large amount, getting 95.1% of the votes. She defeated James Stephens in this election.
2020 Election
Whitsett won her primary election in August 2020. She then won the main election later that year. This meant she continued to represent her district.
2022 Election
On November 8, 2022, Whitsett was elected again. She received 87% of the votes. This time, she was elected to the 4th state House district. The boundaries of this district had changed because of redistricting.
2024 Election
Karen Whitsett was reelected in 2024. She did not have anyone running against her in either the primary or general election.
Important Discussions and Votes
Health Discussions in 2020
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On April 6, 2020, Karen Whitsett said she had been diagnosed with COVID-19. She believed that President Donald Trump's talks about certain treatments helped her. She said that if he hadn't spoken about them, they might not have been available.
In May 2020, Whitsett announced she would take legal action against Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. This was because of a disagreement about her public statements. Whitsett felt her right to speak freely was being challenged. She later decided to drop the lawsuit in June 2020.
Healthcare Access Vote
In 2023, Whitsett was the only Democrat in the Michigan House Health Policy Committee to vote against a package of bills. This package was called the Reproductive Health Act. It included 11 bills about healthcare access. Whitsett had concerns about using state funds for certain procedures. She also had questions about waiting periods before procedures.
2024 Legislative Session
In 2024, many Republican members of the House decided not to attend the last days of the legislative session. During this time, Karen Whitsett also left the House chamber. This meant that the Democrats did not have enough members present to pass some bills. Whitsett later returned to the capitol building. However, she chose not to enter the chamber. She mentioned concerns about several bills that were ready for a vote. Because of this, Speaker Joe Tate ended the House session early. This meant no more laws could be passed that year.
Personal Life
Karen Whitsett lives in Detroit with her husband, Jason. They have one child and a dog named Peace.
See Also
- 2018 Michigan House of Representatives election
