Breaking away from party lines, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has declared his candidacy for Michigan governor as an independent, setting his sights on the 2026 election. In a move that sidesteps traditional party politics, Duggan intends to position himself as a uniting figure for the state. His announcement presents a marked departure from a Democratic Party that he has been part of and contributed to over his lengthy career.

The decision to run independently is charged with Duggan’s dissatisfaction with the current two-party framework. He believes that being unaffiliated provides a better opportunity to effectively govern and to attract those who find themselves disillusioned with the status quo. As Duggan put it in a campaign video, "I'm not running to be the Democrats' governor or the Republicans' governor. I'm running to be your governor." This sentiment echoes his conviction that Michigan’s various challenges necessitate collaboration beyond partisan constraints. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Duggan intends to "bring together Democrats, Republicans and Independents — and our young people, far too many of whom have given up on our political system — together to move Michigan forward."

During an announcement captured on video, Duggan leveraged his track record as Detroit's mayor to support his gubernatorial pursuits, highlighting his efforts in reviving the city from its bankruptcy and managing to increase the population contrary to longstanding decline trends. As ClickOnDetroit includes, under Duggan’s tenure, Detroit not only emerged from bankruptcy but also underwent significant transformations including a marked reduction in violent crime.

Duggan's political pivot also underlines his frustration with partisan resistance to policy initiatives. He referenced the demise of the bipartisan support for his Land Value Tax plan instigated by both ends of the political spectrum—a poignant example that according to him epitomizes the gridlock plaguing the legislative process. "I realized that, as a Democratic governor, anything I proposed would be met with immediate resistance (from Republicans)," Duggan explained in a session with Detroit reporters, as BridgeDetroit reports. "I’m not a person who wants to be governor and not get something done. I do think it’s possible that an independent governor can work with the reasonable members of both parties."

In formally stepping away from Detroit’s mayoral role and not seeking reelection, Duggan is to concentrate on a state-wide conversation leading into his full-time campaign trail in 2026. His shift comes amidst a climate where the Democratic Party revealed vulnerabilities following the 2024 elections, with Duggan expressing that his determination to run independently was reinforced by the depressed Democratic turnout. "There have been a lot of people who feel left out of both parties, feel like they don’t have a place where they belong, and being limited in two parties," Duggan said, as highlighted by BridgeDetroit. "If there was ever a time to give people a third choice, this would be the year."