READY TO RUN
Ever since Mike Duggan won his first race to become Detroit’s mayor in 2013, there have been rumors that he was using it as a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion. Now in his third term, having won re-election in 2021 by a landslide, the Democratic dynamo clearly has put his nose to the grindstone in helping to transform Michigan’s largest city – and it now appears certain that he will launch a campaign for governor in 2026. Confirmation is quietly coming from political honchos on both sides of the aisle, a testament to his bipartisan appeal, dating back to his work as president and CEO of the Detroit Medical Center. Duggan will likely have a lot of company in the Democratic primary to replace Gretchen Whitmer at the top of Michigan’s ticket – having cleared the field to allow Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) a fairly clear field for the Democratic nod for retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow’s seat. Word among Dems is that AG Dana Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrest, among others, will all be hungering for their turn at the top.