Michael White

Michael James White (born c. 1951 or 1952) is an American dermatologist and political activist that was ran in the 2018 elections for Governor of Wisconsin as the nominee of the Green Party. White was Nick De Leon's opponent in the 2018 Green Party primary for the governor's race and won the state party's endorsement.
==Background==
White grew up in Detroit, Michigan. According to his own Facebook page, White graduated from Roeper School in Birmingham, Michigan and later to Kalamazoo College where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry in 1973. He later graduated with an M.D. from Wayne State University in 1977. White's first involvement in politics is said to go back to a campaign for Eugene McCarthy.
White spent twenty years as a physician in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force before going into private practice in La Crosse.
White served as a Wisconsin Green Party co-chair for 18 months at some point before his candidacy. He is a sitting member of the Farmington Township Land Use Commission and formerly served on his local Board of Directors.
White claims he had also been involved in U.S. Presidential candidate Jill Stein's recount in Wisconsin which critics suggest hurt Hillary Clinton's campaign.
==2018 gubernatorial campaign==
According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Michael White declared candidacy on April 13, 2018 to run as a Green Party candidate for Governor of Wisconsin. White claims he was convinced by 2016 U.S. presidential candidate Jill Stein to run for Governor to "keep the Green Party in the political dialog". Fifteen days after his announcement to run, he along with his primary opponent Nick De Leon participated in the party's Spring Gathering to determine who will be endorsed by the Wisconsin Green Party. White beat De Leon for the endorsement and won the Green Party nomination on August 14, 2018.
===Conclusion===
White received 95.8% of the Green Party primary vote over scattering votes statewide in the August 14, 2018. Though no longer a candidate for almost two months, it is believed De Leon could have received a majority of the scattering votes in the Green Party primary. Evers defeated the incumbent Governor Scott Walker in the general election. White received 0.4 percent of the vote, placing fifth behind Evers, Walker, Libertarian Phil Anderson, and independent candidate Maggie Turnbull. It is not known at the moment if De Leon received votes despite no longer being a candidate as the Wisconsin Elections Commission will certify general election results on December 3, 2018.
====Green Party primary results====
Party 	
Party 	Candidate 	Votes	%
 	Green 	Michael White ✔️	817 	95.78
 	Green 	Others 	36 	4.2
Total votes	Total votes	Total votes 	853 	100
====General election results====
Tony Evers won the election by a 1.2% margin. Walker was the incumbent.
Party	
Party 	Candidate 	Votes 	%
	Democratic 	Tony Evers ✔️ 	1,323,545	49.6
	Republican 	Scott Walker 	1,292,969	48.4
	Libertarian	Phil Anderson 	20,316 	0.8
	Independent	Maggie Turnbull	18,779 	0.7
	Green 	Michael White 	11,075 	0.4
	Independent	Arnie Enz 	2,716 	0.1
Majority	
Majority 	
Majority 	30,841 	1.2
Total votes	
Total votes	
Total votes 	2,671,347	100
==Platform==
The following were found via White's campaign site and other sources.
===Crime===
*"I believe our citizens should not be afraid of their police."
*"I believe torture is not an American Value."
*"I own guns, but I believe automatic weapons should not be covered by the 2nd Amendment."
*White further elaborates that though he supports the 2nd Amendment, he believes in taking away arms such as automatic weapons, asssault weapons and hand grenades.
*White believes in increasing background checks for those who purchase guns and ban online sales of firearms.
* White is opposed to the private prison system.
===Economic issues===
*"I support a higher minimum wage. A family needs to be able to live on the minimum wage."
*White supports affordable housing, raising the minimum wage and universal healthcare, however he would seek advice in various sectors than raising taxes on the wealthy.
*White supports programs that will minimize racial disparity, but does not elaborate what he will do to reduce incarceration rates, racial discrimination by law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin, or improve graduation rates for minority groups.
*White opposes tourist taxes, raising the gas tax and borrowing money to fix the state's infrastructure, however he would support raising taxes, borrow money, or make cuts if he couldn't work within the current state budget.
===Education===
*"I believe quality education should be available to all; everyone should receive the best possible education. Teachers should not be the first place we cut the budget."
*White is opposed to closing schools and believes communities need a minimum number of available educational institutions to accommodate student populations, class sizes, and teachers.
*White is opposed to the Wisconsin school voucher system.
===Environmental issues===
*"There is no Planet B. We are fouling our water, poisoning our air, killing off species, rendering our planet unfit for life. We are destroying our children’s future. Global climate change is real, happening right now, and it is in our power to fix it. We must stop burning fossil fuels."
*White believes that nuclear power is needed to move away from fossil fuels.
*Though still an existing agency, White will reinstate the DNR. He also says he would lobby state legislators to make environmental protection and sustainability their top priorities and work with business leaders to make profit and be revenue neutral.
*White says that if elected, Wisconsin will go on record supporting the Paris Climate Accord in response to the rejection by President Donald Trump.
====Foxconn====
*White would've "vetoed" Foxconn on the grounds of the toxic chemicals the factory could produce.
*White opposes tax cuts and subsidies to Foxconn that only offers temporary jobs.
===Government reform===
*"We deserve 'government of the people, by the people and for the people.' Instead we have government of the people for the benefit of the rich. This needs to change."
*"When did the Party of Lincoln become the party of “Build a wall at the border?” When was the Party of FDR bought and paid for, by Wall Street? We need a Green Fair Deal."
*"We need corporate money out of politics. We must end corporate personhood."
*"Government must be transparent and accountable. We need more citizen engagement."
*"I believe every vote should be counted. We must stop excluding voters."
*"I believe in the dignity of every citizen. There must be no room for bullying by the government."
*White denies that the Green Party steals votes from Democrats. He says that existing party candidates have a responsibility to earn votes and persuade voters to elect them. He claims Hillary Clinton blamed the Green Party for stealing votes as an attempt to avoid irresponsibility.
*White supports restoring voting rights to those who were formerly imprisoned.
===Healthcare===
*White shows concern for the increasing costs of prescription drugs.
*White says he would use his power to reduce costs of medical care and pharmaceuticals.
*White supports increasing public health spending.
===Social issues===
*"I believe in the sanctity of life and a woman’s right to choose. There is no single solution to the issue of abortion. We must stop insisting on a black and white solution."
*White is pro-choice and supports subsidizing contraception information.
*White supports seperation of church and state.
*White would enforce current state anti-discrimination laws, while not elaborating on what policies he would pass to expand anti-discrimination laws.
*White supports legalizing and taxing marijuana to reduce crime rates, incarceration rates, and counter the tobacco industry.
==Criticism==
See also: Nick De Leon gubernatorial campaign, 2018 
Following his loss in the Green Party primary, Nick De Leon endorsed Democrat Matt Flynn for Governor as opposed to White. While still in the race, De Leon criticized White for his late timing to enter the race for Governor, if he understood the issues in Wisconsin and issues he never addressed including Foxconn. De Leon claims that his loss to White was politically motivated by Jill Stein.
==Gallery==
Michael-White-with-Jill-Stein.jpg|Jill Stein and Michael White
image1-1-1024x754.jpeg|Left to right: Dr. Brett Joseph, Lt. Governor of Ohio; Constance Gadell-Newton, Governor of Ohio; Mollie Dyer, Missouri HD-162; Michael White, Governor of Wisconsin; Michael Feinstein, Secretary of State, CA; Tiffany Anderson, Lt Governor of Wisconsin; Aaron Camacho, Wisconsin State Senate; Brendan Phillips, Tooele County Commissioner (Utah); Adam Guymon, Write-in for Salt Lake County Council.
==External links==
* Michael White - Ballotpedia
* Official campaign website
* Michael White For Wisconsin Governor - Facebook
* WI Green Party candidates introduction: Michael White for Governor
* Tiffany Anderson for WI Lt Gov - Facebook
==Trivia==
*At a debate attended by White, Phil Anderson, and Arnie Enz he had given organic free range eggs as gifts.
*According to White, he owns an AR-15.
*White has a daughter that blamed him for Hillary Clinton losing the 2016 electoral vote in Wisconsin. White denies that the Green Party was responsible for this.
==References==
Category:Wisconsin
Category:Politics