Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan ends independent bid for Michigan governor

Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Thursday ended his independent campaign for governor in Michigan, citing national headwinds that are boosting Democrats.

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“If we were even in the polls and behind in fundraising, we have a path to winning. If we were behind in the polls and even in fundraising, we have a path. But we’re behind in both,” Duggan wrote on his campaign website . “It’s just not right to ask our volunteers, faith leaders, unions, elected officials and donors to continue in a campaign that, in my heart, I no longer feel good about our chances to win.”

The former mayor served in Detroit as a Democrat, but in 2024 launched an independent bid for governor , promising to push back against “the political fighting and the nonsense that once held Detroit back.”

In the letter on his campaign website Thursday, Duggan told his supporters that he worked every day for 18 months “to try to change Michigan’s toxic party politics.”

But in April, amid a backdrop of rising prices and increasing disapproval nationally of President Donald Trump, “the mood of the country had shifted suddenly and dramatically,” Duggan wrote.

He added that in the spring, “our internal polling showed the intense anger over gas prices and Iran was boosting Democrats in every office nationally. The [Detroit Regional] Chamber poll last week showing we’d fallen 11 points behind the Democratic candidate reflects that reality.”

Duggan added that he lagged behind the leading Democrat in the race, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, in national fundraising.

The recent poll that Duggan cited was commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber, a business group that had endorsed his candidacy . The poll, which surveyed 600 likely general election voters, found Benson leading a hypothetical November race at 34%, followed by Rep. John James, one of the Republican candidates, at 29% and Duggan at 23%.

In a statement after Duggan’s announcement, Benson said that she welcomes “Mayor Duggan’s ideas, his supporters, and everyone who believes Michigan’s future is bigger than division.”

Benson effectively cleared the Democratic primary earlier this year, while several Republicans — including James, former state Attorney General Mike Cox, state Sen. Aric Nesbitt and businessman Perry Johnson — are vying for their party’s nomination. Michigan’s primary takes place Aug. 4.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cannot run again because of term limits.

Shortly after Duggan’s announcement, the Michigan Democratic Party thanked the former mayor and encouraged his supporters to coalesce behind Democrats in the fall.

“We’re grateful to Mayor Mike Duggan for his service to the city of Detroit and our entire state,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said in a statement. “While we’ve had disagreements, the Mayor brought crucial ideas to this race and we appreciate his commitment to bringing people together. As we look ahead, we welcome Mayor Duggan’s supporters into our growing coalition as we work to elect a Democratic governor this November who will continue to move Michigan forward.”

Following Duggan’s announcement, Republican Governors Association communications director Kollin Crompton slammed Benson.

“Mike Duggan is right on one thing: Democrat leadership is not serving Michiganders. Education is in decline, housing costs are rising, and young people are leaving in droves,” Crompton said. “Jocelyn Benson represents toxic partisan politics to its core.”

In a statement, Democratic Governors Association communications director Sam Newton said, “The RGA and Michigan Republicans were desperately counting on a third-party candidacy that no longer exists to win.”

“Now, the Michigan GOP’s entire crowded field of extremists has absolutely nowhere to hide from the high costs of groceries and gas, along with Donald Trump’s health care cuts and chaos,” he continued. “We look forward to exposing them.”

Duggan in his campaign had railed against both parties, especially the Democratic Party to which he once belonged. His criticism was that Democrats spent too much time focused on Trump.

Duggan’s candidacy, and the prospect that it could siphon Detroit-area votes away from their party, had emerged as a major tension point with Michigan Democrats. The state party frequently sent out statements blasting the former mayor and accusing him of going too easy on the president.

“My biggest help has been Curtis Hertel,” Duggan said, name-checking the state Democratic chair in a January interview with NBC News and suggesting that the party, by fixating on the absence of Trump from his message, was inadvertently boosting his name recognition and above-the-fray brand.

“They’re all talking about my campaign, and the Democrats attack me, saying I’m not attacking Trump,” Duggan said. “And I come back and say the reason the Democratic Party is failing is because that’s the only message they have.”

Duggan’s decision to drop out comes after a super PAC backing him, Put Progress First, spent over $9.8 million on advertising backing his campaign, according to AdImpact. Duggan’s campaign, meanwhile, spent over $220,000 on ads so far this year.