Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced Wednesday that he will run for Michigan governor as an independent, breaking from the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not running to be the Democrats\u2019 governor or the Republicans\u2019 governor \u2014 I\u2019m running to be your governor,\u201d Duggan, a lifelong Democrat, said in a video announcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n The three-term mayor is the first to officially enter what is expected to be a crowded 2026 field vying to replace Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited from running again.<\/p>\n Duggan, who is the second-longest-serving mayor in the city\u2019s history, announced last month that he would not seek a fourth mayoral term, telling the Detroit Free Press<\/a> at the time that he \u201cfelt like I did what I set out to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Duggan said in the video that as mayor, he \u201cdidn\u2019t fit comfortably inside the dogma of either of the two political parties.\u201d He added that \u201cwhen the calls mounted to defund the police, I angered some in my own party\u201d by approving increased overtime<\/a> pay for Detroit Police officers in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s clear to me that there are a lot of people in this country who are tired of both parties and tired of the system,\u201d Duggan told The Associated Press<\/a> in an interview. \u201cAnd so I want to offer people a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Duggan entered the mayor\u2019s office in 2013 as Detroit was reeling from bankruptcy<\/a>, and is widely considered to have succeeded in his efforts to restore<\/a> the city. He won reelection<\/a> in 2021 with 76 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n \u201cThe political fighting and the nonsense that once held Detroit back is too often what we\u2019re seeing in Michigan today,\u201d Duggan said in the video, adding, \u201cI\u2019m going to see if I can change that by starting a campaign for governor, by having a conversation about whether it\u2019s time for a whole new approach \u2014 a governor who\u2019s an independent.\u201d<\/p>\n