Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is throwing his support behind Democrat Gretchen Whitmer for governor.
Duggan says the former Lansing-area state senator will be an important “partner” for the city in Lansing. He pledged to work every day “for the next eight months” to drum up support for Whitmer, and boost voter turnout in Detroit.
“When we stay home in this city, at times we decide outcomes of elections. When we vote, we’re heard,” Duggan said.
Duggan admitted he was “looking into” whether other Democrats, like Michigan Senator Gary Peters, might jump into the governor’s race just weeks ago.
But Duggan insists his concerns revolved around her never having held statewide office.
“I always thought Senator Whitmer would be an excellent governor,” Duggan said. “But we’ve got a huge race on our hands, and the two leading Republican candidates have statewide elected experience. That’s a big advantage.”
Whitmer says that if elected, she expects to work closely with Duggan on issues like road repair, improving public schools, and one of Duggan’s top priorities, reforming the state’s auto insurance system and bringing down rates.
“But I’m grateful not just for an endorsement, but for a true partnership. Because this doesn’t end on election day,” Whitmer said.
Duggan’s announcement came in tandem with Whitmer’s campaign opening a new office in northwest Detroit.
