What are gas prices in your area of Michigan? If Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had had her way in 2019, a gallon of gas would cost 45 cents more. And it’s that attempt at a tax hike, Whitmer admits now, that left her vulnerable to attacks during her reelection campaign last year.

Whitmer cruised to reelection in November, beating Republican challenger Tudor Dixon by 11 percentage points.

With her second term secured, Whitmer talked what-ifs with David Axelrod, who was chief strategist for President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. Axelrod hosts a podcast called “The Axe Files.”

The Detroit News reported on Whitmer’s podcast appearance:

During an hour-long interview with Democratic political consultant David Axelrod on his "The Axe Files" podcast, Whitmer said if she were the Republicans, she would have focused the attacks on her 2019 failed proposal to raise the state's gas tax by 45 cents per gallon.

“That’s the ad I would have run against me the whole time, by the way," Whitmer told Axelrod.

“I’m glad they didn’t," she added.

Whitmer left the door to such an attack k wide open in July, when she released a campaign ad touting “No New Taxes” in her first term.

As Michigan Capitol Confidential pointed out at the time, the only reason Whitmer didn’t raise taxes in 2019 is that Republicans in the Legislature wouldn’t let her.

Whitmer feels that argument might have worked, if it had been pushed harder.

The Michigan House of Representatives held 1,149 roll-call votes over the 2021-22 term. According to MichiganVotes.org, these 20 representatives missed the most votes. Where a representative did not serve a full term, the number of votes held during that person's tenure is indicated in parentheses:

1. Rep. Steve Marino*, R-Mount Clemens: 299
2. Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit: 274
3. Rep. Jewell Jones*, D-Inkster: 265
4. Rep. Cynthia Johnson*, D-Detroit: 225
5. Rep. Cynthia R. Neeley, D-Flint: 211
6. Rep. Andrea Schroeder*, R-Clarkston: 175 (of 450)
7. Rep. Tenisha Yancey*, D-Grosse Pointe: 159
8. Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit: 128
9. Rep. Lori Stone, D-Warren: 106
10. Rep. Ranjeev Puri, D-Canton: 86
11. Rep. Samantha Steckloff, D-Farmington Hills: 85
12. Rep. Sara Cambensy*, D-Marquette: 81
13. Rep. David LaGrand*, D-Grand Rapids: 76
14. Rep. Brenda Carter, D-Pontiac: 74
15. Rep. Jim Ellison*, D-Royal Oak: 71
16. Rep. John Cherry*, D-Flint: 70
17. Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles: 70 of 1149
18. Rep. Terence Mekoski*, R-Shelby Township: 69 (of 306)
19. Rep. Kyra Bolden*, D-Southfield: 67
20. Rep. Bradley Slagh, R-Zeeland: 62

* This person is no longer in the Michigan House of Representatives. An official may no longer be in the House for one of several reasons, including death, term limits, a loss in a primary or general election, or resignation.

Where does your representative appear on the missed-votes list?