Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit, who has identified as a Democrat for his nearly 40 years in public office, announced on Wednesday that he would run for governor in 2026 as an independent, a development that could roil the politics of his narrowly divided state.
Mr. Duggan, 66, is the first major candidate to enter the race, which will be one of the nation’s top-tier contests for governor in 2026. He is aiming to replace Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is barred by term limits from running for a third time.
By running as an independent, Mr. Duggan will avoid what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary race that could include several of Michigan’s statewide elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg moved in recent years to Michigan from Indiana, which prompted speculation that he might seek office in his new state, though he has also been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Mr. Duggan’s independent campaign announcement comes a month after Vice President Kamala Harris — with whom he campaigned — lost Michigan to former President Donald J. Trump. Her nationwide defeat has prompted Democratic hand-wringing about the party’s brand and image among various groups of voters.
While Ms. Harris lost Michigan, another Democrat, Representative Elissa Slotkin, won its Senate race. Republicans flipped four seats in the Michigan House of Representatives, narrowly taking back the chamber after two years of Democratic control.
In a four-minute announcement video, Mr. Duggan described his decade-long tenure as Detroit mayor as an exercise in finding nonpartisan solutions. He recounted working with Republicans in the state’s capital and the Detroit suburbs to improve the city’s quality of life and begin drawing new residents for the first time in generations.
“What would happen if we upended the system and gave Michigan voters a new choice — a governor who didn’t run as a candidate of either party?” Mr. Duggan said. “I’m not running to be the Democrats’ governor or the Republicans’ governor. I’m running to be your governor.”
A viable and well-funded independent candidate could serve as a major disruption to the two-party political system that dominates most of the country, including Michigan. No Democrat can win a statewide election in Michigan without a significant portion of votes from Detroit, which would also serve as Mr. Duggan’s political base.
Whether Mr. Duggan can persuade Michiganders that he is a candidate who is truly independent from the major parties is another matter. Just a month ago, he appeared with Ms. Harris as she stumped through Michigan in her campaign’s final days. The mayor has also been no stranger to intramural Democratic politics — this year, he endorsed a primary challenger to Representative Shri Thanedar, a Democrat who represents Detroit. Mr. Thanedar was renominated and won re-election.
As Detroit’s mayor, Mr. Duggan has presided over significant improvements to the city’s once-dilapidated downtown business district and has helped restore basic municipal services like lighting streets that were dark for years.
Mr. Duggan’s announcement video did not mention issues beyond crime and education, including abortion rights, L.G.B.T.Q. rights and other cultural hot-button topics for voters.
His term as mayor ends on Jan. 1, 2026. He announced last month that he would not seek re-election to a fourth term.
The post Detroit’s Mayor, a Democrat, Will Run for Michigan Governor as an Independent appeared first on New York Times.
