Photo by Barbara Barefield on Flickr

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has long been registered as a Democrat. But in 2026, he will run for governor in Michigan as an independent. Duggan announced his gubernatorial bid in a video statement Wednesday.

Duggan has been lauded for his leadership in Detroit's comeback from a city that filed for bankruptcy in 2013 to a thriving metropolis of economic and population growth not seen in decades.

"We recruited major new employers to Detroit, built new auto plants, opened hundreds of small businesses, and reduced Detroit's unemployment rate to its lowest rate in more than 30 years," Duggan said in his video statement.

He credits this success, not to the policies of a single party, but by putting the type of partisan politics that focused on division aside and focusing on an approach that prioritized a personal connection between city leaders and voters.

"Night after night, I sat in homes, talking to residents who felt ignored and angry with city government," he said. "I did 250 of these house parties." He said he also made an effort to bridge political divides by connecting with officials from both parties.

"I was always keenly aware that my approach didn't fit comfortably inside the dogma of either of the two political parties," he said. He added that the "political fighting and the nonsense that once held Detroit back is too often what we're seeing in Michigan today." 

Without the support of a major political party, it may be a tough campaign even with Duggan's popularity. However, he believes that partisan politics has become so toxic and so divided that the only way to govern efficiently is from an independent position. 

"The current system forces people to choose sides, not find solutions," he said. "i want to see if I can change that."

It is still too early to know exactly who Duggan will run against. However, speculation includes Pete Buttigieg on the Democratic side and state officials like Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt on the Republican side.

A primary election will be held to determine the nominees for both major parties. Until then, Duggan says he will take the same personal approach he did as mayor and sit in living rooms across the state to listen to and talk with voters.