Study: Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan Suffering Slowest Coronavirus Recovery; Iowa Quickest Bounceback

A study produced by WalletHub found Michigan is suffering the slowest recovery from the response to the coronavirus pandemic, while Iowa is enjoying the quickest.

WalletHub analyzed data in three categories: Coronavirus Health, Leisure & Travel, and Economy & Labor Market. Each metric, such as restaurant capacity limits and hospitalization rate, was given a weighed point value for a total potential score of 100.

Iowa had a score of 75.25 for the 1st overall rank. South Dakota had an overall rank of 4th, but scored first in the Leisure & Travel and second in the Economy & Labor Market categories.

Of other states in the Top 10 — Nebraska, Alaska, New Hampshire, Utah, Kansas, Connecticut, Arkansas, and Idaho — only one has a Democrat governor (Connecticut).

Among states with the most notable stringent lockdown policies, California ranked 25th, New Jersey 31st, New York 35th, and Pennsylvania 46th.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) Michigan came in dead last — 51st (with the District of Columbia included). Michigan had a score of 38.28 and ranked 47th in Coronavirus Health, 47th in Leisure & Travel, and 44th in Economy and Labor Market.

Several of Whitmer’s restrictions remain in effect until July 1, despite her most recent scandal in which she and several friends hit the bar and violated her orders related to restaurant table capacity limits.

“Michigan experiencing the slowest recovery in the nation is a direct result of Governor Whitmer’s misguided policies and hypocritical leadership,” Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) told Breitbart News.

“The mandates issued by Governor Whitmer and her Administration were among the strictest and most economically damaging in the nation,” he said.

According to the Center Square, Whitmer’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity issued 96 fines totaling $259,200. There are 112 “open” cases for alleged violations with potential fines that could amount to another $364,200. Currently, 29 of those are under appeal.

Breitbart News reported about 56 restaurants and bars punished by the Whitmer administration over her orders.

Huizenga argued Whitmer’s actions “led to countless Michiganders losing their jobs as well as their livelihoods as restaurants, small businesses, and employers across the state were forced to close for a prolonged period of time or shut down entirely.”

“To this day, the Whitmer Administration’s ad-hoc approach has not been based in science and Michiganders continue to pay the price,” he told Breitbart News.

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.