In a surprise move, former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is ending his independent bid to become Michigan’s next governor, he announced Thursday, May 21. His departure from the race is another signal that independent candidates face steep paths to winning statewide elections in Michigan.
Duggan cited internal polling and “networks of national party money” in an announcement to supporters sent Thursday morning.
“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 … I no longer feel good about our chances to win,” Duggan said in a statement.
News of Duggan’s departure from the race is likely a boost to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination based on polling and fundraising. With Duggan no longer in the field, there’s significantly less chance of Democratic-leaning voters breaking away from Benson in November. And historical trends favor Democrats — typically, the party opposite control of Congress and the White House fares well in midterm years. With President Donald Trump, a Republican, facing low approval ratings amid continued economic inflation and dissatisfaction over his handling of the U.S. war in Iran, the GOP could be bracing for a challenging race.
Duggan, in late 2024, took political prognosticators by surprise when he announced he was leaving the Democratic Party to run for governor as an independent. He was considered a longtime party stalwart, having been deputy to former Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara and later being elected county prosecutor as a Democrat.
He said throughout his campaign, voters were disillusioned with a two-party system in politics and offered himself as a candidate who could bridge divides. But recent polls signaled an uphill climb. A Detroit Regional Chamber poll published May 12 found Duggan trailing both Jocelyn Benson and Republican candidates Perry Johnson and U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, in hypothetical three-way races. The survey also found that Benson was consolidating support among Democratic-leaning voters and independents, biting into Duggan’s share, compared to a February poll sponsored by the chamber.
There’s little history of a successful independent statewide run for office in Michigan. The last candidate for governor to win on a ticket that wasn’t Democratic or Republican was William Woodbridge, a Whig who was in office in 1840-41 before leaving to become a U.S. senator.
The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC endorsed Duggan’s independent bid. Duggan’s departure from the race comes days before the chamber’s annual Mackinac Policy Conference, when business and political leaders are slated to meet on the island to discuss issues shaping the state.
“Obviously, I am disappointed that Mike Duggan’s campaign for governor is ending, but we are thankful for his leadership for Michigan and driving a critical conversation about how to move our state forward,” Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO Sandy Baruah said in a statement Thursday morning. “The Chamber looks forward to next week’s Mackinac Policy Conference, which will feature several candidates for governor, and we plan to make minor adjustments to the agenda in light of this news.”
Also running for the Democratic nomination during the August primary election is Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. On the Republican side of the race, former Attorney General Mike Cox; U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township; businessman Perry Johnson; and state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, are all seeking the nomination.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Duggan ends 2026 independent campaign for Michigan governor
Reporting by Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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