Duggan endorses Sheffield in Detroit mayor race
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Mayor Mike Duggan makes his endorsement speech, with Council President Mary Sheffield sitting nearby. Photo: Annalise Frank/Axios
Mayor Mike Duggan is backing Council President Mary Sheffield for mayor, with the two politicians emphasizing their history of working together.
Why it matters: Wednesday's endorsement gives the leading candidate — who has already raised the most money — an influential supporter with a sterling reputation among much of Detroit's big-pocketed business community.
State of play: Sheffield is facing off against Triumph Church pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr. in the Nov. 4 election, while Duggan is leaving the mayor's office at year's end amid a run for governor.
- Sheffield has been on council since 2014, the year Duggan took office, and was elected council president in 2022.
What they're saying: Duggan called Sheffield a proven leader who helped set a collaborative tone on city council and will take Detroit's recovery further into the neighborhoods.
- The mayor credited her with pushing for home repair funding for seniors and low-income residents — "and we've now done more than 2,000 roofs."
- He also noted Sheffield's 2016 idea to use income tax revenue from the Detroit Pistons' move back to Detroit from Auburn Hills for a neighborhood beautification fund, along with a 2017 affordable housing ordinance that "set the groundwork" for the city's recent affordable housing push.
Plus, Sheffield detailed her partnership with Duggan's administration to "move our city forward," including during some of its toughest times.
Between the lines: Duggan said he's long favored Sheffield's qualifications but opted to observe the crowded primary field.
- He said Sheffield's "campaign of unity" impressed him and helped spur the endorsement.
Yes, but: The two haven't always agreed — which Sheffield called "very normal and natural" for the executive and legislative branches.
- "When we disagree, we've always come back to what matters most, and that is our shared vision for the betterment of our residents …"
Flashback: In 2019, Sheffield voted against Duggan's initial proposal to issue bonds to finance more home demolitions, citing in part community concerns around transparency.
- The two also traded words in the press over a transportation services contract in 2022.
The other side: The Kinloch campaign issued a statement in response to the endorsement, saying Duggan "doesn't get the right to decide his successor," the voters do.
- "Detroit doesn't need recycled ideas or the same politics that have left too many neighborhoods behind," the statement reads. "Detroit needs fresh leadership, with the courage to do what career politicians couldn't."