On Monday morning, Detroit local media reported on assassination threats made by members of rightwing Facebook groups against Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer. That afternoon, Whitmer addressed the tense situation by taking aim at largely silent Republicans in the legislature.

“This could be avoided if Republican leadership in the legislature would step up and denounce that kind of activity, if there was anyone on the other side of the aisle that would do that,” Whitmer said.

Whitmer’s tough response to Republicans represented a dramatic shift in approach for a mostly conservative Democratic leader previously known for a centrist governing style and political compromises – not confrontation – with her opponents.

But Whitmer now finds herself thrust into the national spotlight, the target of attacks from the White House and at the center of a storm of protest by armed groups, some of whom have taken their weapons right into the state capitol.

As Whitmer’s state has been hit hard by the pandemic, she has become a rising figure in the Democratic party, mentioned as a possible running mate to Joe Biden and a frequent subject of Donald Trump’s Twitter rants. Of course, Michigan’s position as a key battleground state in the 2020 election also helps boost her profile.

The governor’s strict stay-at-home order was implemented to lower one of the nation’s highest Covid-19 rates and drew strong criticism from some conservatives. However, it successfully flattened the curve of the pandemic. Her success, and the threats against her, have made her name.

“She’s thriving, she relishes the challenge,” said Bill Ballenger, a state political analyst. “The fact is, most of the population at this point is behind her and is giving her the benefit of the doubt. She’s been strong, forceful, and articulate, but will they feel that way six months from now? There’s a lot more water to flow over the dam before we can reach that conclusion.”

Whitmer was born into a Michigan political family and abandoned an early desire to go into TV journalism for a career in government. She was first elected to the local legislature in 2000 and became the first woman to head a party caucus in the state senate. She won the governor’s race in 2018, campaigning to “fix the damn roads” and promising to work with Republicans.

For now, Whitmer’s policies and relatively bold approach to the coronavirus crisis are popular among her constituents. The latest polling shows 72% of Michiganders approve of how she’s handled the situation.

That point might get a little lost in the loud protests of conservative and militia groups who oppose her orders amid complaints about economic stress. Protesters at recent demonstrations waved Confederate flags and held up Nazi imagery and nooses. But even as Whitmer criticized Republican leaders, she has defended protesters’ right to demonstrate.

She did so as Trump fanned the flames of the anti-lockdown movement. The president praised the protesters as “very good people” and urged Whitmer to “make a deal” with them; in March he attempted to denigrate her as “that woman from Michigan”. The effort, however, largely backfired as it helped propel Whitmer further into the national conversation. Last week, the governor, who has spoken about being a survivor of sexual assault, raised some eyebrows when she defended Biden from sexual assault allegations.

Meanwhile, she has become something of a media darling, with regular appearances on late night television and cable news programs. Some of her fans in Detroit affectionately dubbed her “Big Gretch”, including the hip-hop artist GmacCash, who penned a song about Whitmer’s response.

Is the governor enjoying her newfound status as a national Democratic figure who’s viewed as a villain by Trump? No, she told the the Daily podcast in late April, because she fears that the president will withhold resources for Michigan.

“I was thrown into the spotlight by being criticized or attacked by the president of the United States. I didn’t ask for that. I didn’t like it,” she said. “I would hate for anyone in Michigan to not have the help they need because I’m not popular with the president.”