<p class="speakable">Fox News can project that Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will prevail over Republican former TV host Tudor Dixon.</p> <p class="speakable">The race garnered national attention following Whitmer gaining near-celebrity status in the Democratic Party amid the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/infectious-disease/coronavirus" _mce_href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/infectious-disease/coronavirus" target="_blank">coronavirus pandemic</a>, and most polls showed her leading Dixon in the days and weeks leading up to the election.</p> <p>Throughout the campaign, the two clashed over Whitmer's handling of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michigan-gubernatorial-debate-gretchen-whitmer-tudor-dixon-spar-abortion-covid-school-closures" _mce_href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michigan-gubernatorial-debate-gretchen-whitmer-tudor-dixon-spar-abortion-covid-school-closures" target="_blank">coronavirus-related lockdowns</a>&nbsp;of businesses and schools, for which she was sharply criticized by Republicans nationally, as well as abortion and the teaching of gender and sexual orientation topics in the classroom.</p> <div class="ad-container desktop ad-h-50 ad-w-300"></div> <div class="image-ct inline"> <div class="caption"> <p>Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, left, and Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon&nbsp;(Erin Kirkland/Bloomberg, Nic Antaya/Bloomberg via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <p>Dixon sought to paint Whitmer as&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOxauZcEdUo" _mce_href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOxauZcEdUo" target="_blank">a candidate with national ambitions</a>, rather than one dedicated to serving Michigan, and claimed she was hoping for a potential spot on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket.</p>