Historically, the luncheon has been held for the state’s governor; however, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was unable to attend this year due to a scheduling conflict.

“I’ve been trying to get to the U.P. State Fair for six years, so I’m so glad to be able to be here with you. For real, I needed the governor to crack a window for me to be up here,” Gilchrist said.

Earlier in the morning, Gilchrist attended the ceremony honoring Howard Seid of Rockland in Ontonagon County as 2024 Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year.

Also at the ceremony were 1st Congressional District U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman; state Reps. Dave Prestin of the 108th District, Jenn Hill of the 109th and Greg Markkanen of the 110th; state Senators Ed McBroom and John Damoose; and numerous members of area veterans organizations.

U.S. REP. JACK Bergman of Watersmeet congratulates Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year Howard Seid during a ceremony Thursday morning at the U.P. State Fair in Escanaba. At lower right is Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, who stepped in for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the fair’s annual Governor’s Luncheon. (R.R. Branstrom/Daily Press photo)

At the luncheon, Gilchrist told the guests a late plane delayed him in Green Bay, Wis., so he drove to the U.P. at 1 a.m. Thursday. He said it made him appreciate to the special relationship the Upper Peninsula has with Wisconsin, which he described as “the state that’s not as good as ours but that we neighbor.”

He also said he was going to take advantage of his time at the fair.

“I’m going to do everything I can. I’m going to ride every ride that doesn’t have a height limit,” he said, referencing his tall stature. “I’m going to hear some amazing music, I’m going to watch some cornhole; I’m going to eat some pasty — I take mine straight.”

After opening statements and a brief rundown of the priorities for his and Whitmer’s administration — which included better funding for rural and disadvantaged school districts, continuing free breakfast and lunch programs for K-12 students, providing free community college tuition for Michigan high school graduates, and expanding rural high-speed internet access — Gilchrist took questions from the audience.

The first question, a perennial favorite among the lunch’s attendees, was what Whitmer’s administration was going to do about Michigan roads.

“I’ll be really clear: there’s a lot of road construction happening and I’m not going to apologize for it,” he said.

Gilchrist said the new roads represented a new era of safety; opportunities for economic mobility, stability and growth; and jobs. He reported that since 2019, 2,418 lane miles of road and 54 bridges in the Upper Peninsula have been repaired. Of that, 11 bridges and 670 lane miles were done since 2023. An additional 300 lane miles are expected in 2025.

Multiple questions asked by the audience revolved around the intersection of jobs and the environment.

“My vision is that this opportunity with how the climate is changing actually creates economic opportunity, it creates opportunity to our entrepreneurs and people with ideas to find ways to solve the challenges that are emerging today,” he said.

One audience member asked about Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5, the controversial pipeline that runs underneath the Straits of Mackinac. Whitmer’s administration has legally challenged the operation of the more-than-50-year-old pipeline, and a planned tunnel under the lake bed that Enbridge says would add a layer of protection around the line. Specifically, the audience member asked how the administration would protect Native American-owned land and the water of the Great Lakes.

“It’s always been our commitment, the governor and I, to have the pipe not be in the water. We’ve always been concerned about the risks and what that meant, and we continue to have that concern, but the process continues to move forward,” said Gilchrist, who added that it was important for the Upper Peninsula to diversify its energy sources to have the clean energy necessary for economic and housing growth.

Housing was a concern raised by the audience. Gilchrist said the Michigan State Housing Development Authority was working to increase available housing, with a goal of adding 150,000 new or rehabbed housing units in a three-year period.

“Michigan can’t be a fantastic place to live if you can’t afford to live here,” he said.