DETROIT – The longtime Democrat mayor of Detroit has announced he will run for Michigan governor as an independent in 2026.
Mayor Mike Duggan cited disillusionment with the two-party system and said he wants to give Michigan voters another choice. His decision to run independently comes amid challenges for the Democratic Party in Michigan, which has recently faced setbacks in the 2024 General Election. Duggan believes he can govern more effectively as an independent and aims to appeal to Democrats and Republicans who feel unrepresented by their parties.
“I’m not running to be the Democrats' governor or the Republicans' governor; I’m running to be your governor,” Duggan said.
He made the announcement Wednesday, Dec. 4, in a video posted to social media.
“If you think the two-party system is serving you well, you can vote for your Republican or Democratic candidate,” Duggan told the AP. “But if you think the only way we can really change the quality of life in Michigan is a different way, I’m going to give people the alternative, an independent who is going to go to Lansing and work with responsible leadership in both parties.”
Duggan was elected as Detroit’s mayor in 2013 following a write-in campaign and is often credited with revitalizing the city after it filed for bankruptcy. Since he took office, the city emerged from bankruptcy, major projects have transformed the city and violent crime has dropped significantly.
Before becoming mayor of Detroit, Duggan graduated from law school at the University of Michigan, became an attorney for Wayne County, and then served 14 years as Deputy Wayne County Executive.
He worked for three years as Wayne County Prosecutor before he was hired as CEO of the Detroit Medical Center in 2004. In 2013, he left the DMC to run for mayor of Detroit. He is the second-longest serving mayor in Detroit’s elections history, according to the city.
Duggan announced he would not seek a fourth term as mayor in November, stating he accomplished what he had set out to do in Detroit.
Watch: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Flashpoint after announcing he will not seek reelection
His term as Detroit mayor ends in January 2026. The Michigan gubernatorial election will take place later that year on Nov. 3, 2026.
