Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is selling himself to Michigan voters as someone who can bring stability to state government. He’s trying to win over both Democrats and Republicans while running as an independent candidate for governor this year.
Duggan, a former Democrat, argues state policy swings too much as both parties take control and undo one another’s actions. In his first press conference since leaving office at the start of the year, he brought up the state’s constantly shifting education and economic development strategies as examples.
“We have a 50/50 state that’s going to swing back and forth every two years. And Michigan is never going to get out of this permanent U-turn cycle if we don’t find a way to get Republicans and Democrats to establish a Michigan path, and that’s what I’m going to try and do,” Duggan told reporters Monday.
In the year since launching his campaign, Duggan said he’s been talking with voters about several issues, including education, housing, and state regulations.
To succeed in November’s election, Duggan will have to build a coalition of at least some traditional Democratic and Republican voters. He said he’s already been trying to court progressives who may be unhappy with the direction of the party or perceived lack of progress.
“Right now, you are getting candidates who tell you 100% of what you want to hear and got 0% of what you wanted done. I’m someone who’s going to get 70% of what you want done. But we’re going to work with Republicans on common ground,” Duggan said.
For its part, the Michigan Democratic Party has disavowed Duggan.
In a press conference also held on Monday, party leadership and some elected officials tried to paint the former mayor as more conservative than he let on. They questioned his commitment to unions and criticized him for fundraising from some typical Republican donors.
State Representative Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) accused Duggan of not coming out against Republican decisions to cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in state spending, or President Donald Trump’s policies that Democrats say are hurting the state.
“The reality is he’s not an Independent, he’s just a shapeshifter. Duggan is whoever he needs to be with whatever room he’s in. He’s going to tell people in the trades when he’s with them that he’s going to get them good jobs and then he's going to go to the business groups and tell them he’s going to get them cheap labor,” Andrews said.
Duggan, who said he’d compare his political lane to former Republican Governor William Milliken on Monday, said he left the party for not being focused enough on everyday issues and instead spending too much time on Trump and anti-Republican rhetoric.
He’s been hesitant to comment on national stories this cycle, though he did name issues he had with how tariffs have affected Michigan-based automakers when asked Monday.
“The Republicans and Democrats with their outrage machines and whatever the latest thing that Trump said, I’m not going to get into that. I’m going to deal with solving problems,” Duggan said.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr., however, said Duggan should take a stronger stance regarding Trump’s policies on tariffs, healthcare, and other areas.
“At the end of the day, they affect Michigan’s people. And, when you’re governor, sometimes you have to stand up and fight back. And he has shown zero willingness to actually do that,” Hertel said.
Early polling in the race has shown Duggan in third place behind current Republican primary frontrunner Congressman John James (R-MI 10), and Democratic primary frontrunner Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
