Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan rented out the main hall at Michigan Central for a campaign event featuring more than 100 current and former elected officials form across the state.
On Tuesday, more than 200 sitting and former elected officials from across Michigan endorsed Duggan, who left the Democratic Party last year to run for govenror as an independent.
His campaign says it’s the largest coalition of supporters for any gubernatorial candidate yet in the race made up of Republicans, Democrats and Independents that represent communities throughout the state.
“Michiganders want a governor whose first priority isn’t protecting their party’s majority. I’m running as an Independent because the only way we can fix our broken education system and create the kind of Michigan where all communities can thrive is by ending the toxic partisanship that’s plaguing Lansing,” Duggan said.
On stage inside Michigan Central he was flanked by 200 local lawmakers representing communities from across the state.
“It’s time for Michigan to have leaders who work for everyone, not just their party’s agenda,” said Mark Northrup, Mayor of Hudsonville. “The consequences of partisan gridlock are all around us. Our public schools are underperforming, our roads are riddled with potholes, our economy is stalled and taxpayer money is not being put to best use. We can and must do better for the people of this great state, and I believe Mike Duggan is the leader who will deliver that for Michigan.”
Since launching his Independent campaign, Duggan has drawn support from eight unions representing more than 25,000 members, more than 150 pastors and faith leaders and the Detroit Regional Chamber, the state’s largest chamber of commerce.
Jason Harvey, a Republican councilman in New Baltimore told Michigan Chronicle at the event that he’s tired of “the far right and the far left.”
“We need to come together, find common ground and move forward,” he said. “People are sick of the bickering and the fighting back and forth.”
“I don’t think people realize is he’s going to get considerable support from Republicans,” Harvey said.
Michigan Democrats are criticizing Duggan for just that.
“As Mike Duggan is set to hold a campaign event today in Detroit, will any of the Republican megadonors that are currently funding his campaign be on hand to see how their investment is doing?” Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman said in a statement.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel speculated how Duggan’s campaign paid for the event at Ford Motor Company’s new building.
“With Mike Duggan set to hold a very swanky event, will any of his major Republican donors appear with him? Because let’s be honest: the big bucks that Republicans like Ron Weiser and J.C. Huizenga have donated to his campaign are helping pay for this event, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to check in on their investment… Whatever Duggan says, Michiganders shouldn’t trust a single thing from him, as it’s clear he’s been bought and sold by major pro-Trump, anti-labor donors who just want to drag Michigan backwards. When you follow the money on who’s actually behind his campaign, Duggan’s self-serving shtick is exposed pretty quickly.”
The Democratic Party chair pointed to a Metro Times report that found many of Duggan’s donors are also donors of President Donald Trump, and conservative leaders.
Ron Weiser, the former Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, his son and daughter-in-law, each donated $8,325 to Duggan. Weiser also played a pivotal role in passing anti-worker Right to Work laws in Michigan.
Retired occupational therapist Carol Adler and her husband Mark Adler, a filmmaker belonging to the IATSE Local 38, which endorsed Duggan, told Michigan Chronicle they worked on Kamala Harris’ campaign but are supporting Duggan because they are sick of the hyper partisan nature of politics.
“Benson, Nessel and Whitmer were a dream team, Charlie’s Angel’s, I call them,” Carol said. “But those days are about to be over.”
Here is the full list of endorsements announced Tuesday:
Current & Former Mayors, Supervisors, and Village Presidents
Chris Barnett — Supervisor, Orion Township
Anthony Bartolotta — Supervisor, Waterford Township
Michael Bowdler — Former Mayor, River Rouge
Timothy Bowman — Supervisor, Sumpter Township
Maureen Miller Brosnan — Mayor, Livonia
Kerreen Conley — Former Mayor, Belleville
Scott Denison — Former Mayor, Gibraltar
Robert DeSana — Mayor, Wyandotte
Scott Dzurka — Mayor, Saint Johns
Thomas Fielder — Former Mayor, Belleville
Norman Finkelstein — Mayor, Orchard Lake Village
Mike Fillbrook — Supervisor, Bruce Township
Justin Fischer — Mayor, Novi
Edward Gaffney — Former Mayor, Grosse Pointe Farms; Former State Representative
Patricia Gotfredson — Supervisor, Pointe Aux Barques Township
Daniel Guzzi — Former Mayor, Rockwood
Abdul “Al” Haidous — Former Mayor, City of Wayne; Former Wayne County Commissioner
Rick Hamill — Supervisor, Highland Township
Kurt Heise — Former Supervisor, Plymouth Township; Former State Representative
Kristen Kaatz — Former Village President, Lexington
Thaddeus Kedzierski — Mayor, Grosse Pointe Shores
Kevin Kelley — Former Supervisor, Redford Township
Patrick Kittle — Former Supervisor, Independence Township
Kurt Kobiljak — Former Supervisor, Grosse Ile
Edward Kolar III — Mayor, Milan
Phil LaJoy — Former Supervisor, Canton Township; Former State Representative
Joe LaRussa — Mayor, Farmington
Michael Lasich — Mayor, Fraser
Michael Londeau — Former Mayor, Westland
Robert McCraight — Mayor, Romulus
Kevin McNamara — Supervisor, Van Buren Township
Brian Meissen — Village President, New Haven
Todd Murawski — Village President, Port Austin
Mark Northrup — Mayor, Hudsonville
Patricia Odette — Mayor, Woodhaven
Sue Osborn — Mayor, Fenton
Bruce Pearson — Supervisor, Addison Township
Chuck Phyle — Supervisor, Independence Township
Joe Porcarelli — Supervisor, Grosse Ile
Cameron Priebe — Former Mayor, Taylor
Pauline Repp — Former Mayor, Port Huron
John Rhaesa — Mayor, City of Wayne
Kevin Scramlin — Supervisor, Groveland Township
Nicole Shkira — Mayor, Melvindale
Richard Smith — Former Mayor, Belleville
Brenda Stumbo — Supervisor, Ypsilanti Township
Michael Taylor — Mayor, Sterling Heights
Greg Theokas — Former Mayor, Grosse Pointe Park
Lamar Tidwell — Mayor, Ecorse
Brian Turnbull — Mayor, Northville
Kenneth Voigt — Mayor, Belleville
Karen Weaver — Former Mayor, Flint
William Wild — Former Mayor, Westland
Thomas Yack — Former Supervisor, Canton Township
Current & Former City Council Members, Township Officials and Local Elected Leaders
Zouher Abdel-Hak — Former City Council Member, Dearborn Heights
Rock Abboud — City Council Member, Village of Beverly Hills
Saleim Abuali — City Council President, Melvindale
Donald Agee Jr. — City Council Member, Ecorse
Kamal Alsawafy — City Council Member, Dearborn
Bryan Amann — Former Commissioner, Wayne County
Laurie Arora — Former City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Park
Johnna Balk — City Council Member (Mayor Pro-Tem), Farmington
Timber Baun-Crooks — City Council Member, Trenton
John Barden — City Council President (Mayor Pro-Tem), Romulus
Mo Baydoun — City Council Chair, Dearborn Heights
Jeremiah Beebe — City Council Member, Belleville
Pauline Bennett — Township Clerk, Addison Township
Douglas Bingham — Former City Council Member, Northville
Lise Blades — Trustee, Lyon Township
Alfred Brock — City Council Member (Mayor Pro-Tem), Wayne
Brian Broderick — Trustee, Schoolcraft College
Brian Brickley — Township Treasurer, Sharon Township
Sharry Budd — Township Treasurer, Van Buren Township
Susan Burek — Township Treasurer, Augusta Township
Thomas Caulfield — City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Park
John Carson — Trustee, Orion Township
John Carter — City Council Member, Northville
John Chirkun — Treasurer, Roseville; Former State Representative; Former Mayor of Roseville
Daniel E. Clark — Former City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Park
Joseph Corriveau — Library Board Member, Northville
Ellen Craig-Bragg — City Clerk, Romulus
Julia Dalrymple — Township Clerk, Orion Township
Rob Darwiche — City Council Member, Wayne
Nancy Darga — Former City Council Member, Northville
Aaron Delikta — City Council Member, Centerline
Frank Digiorgio — Treasurer, Bruce Township
Thom Dionne — City Council Member, Utica; Former Mayor, Utica
Sierra Donaven — City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Farms
Bob Doroshewitz — Township Treasurer, Plymouth Township
David Dwyer — City Council Member (Mayor Pro-Tem), Warren
Joe Eadeh — Former City Council Member, Westland
Tim Eder — Trustee, Lyndon Township
Kristofer Enlow — Trustee, Lyon Township
Michael Farley — Township Treasurer, Pointe Aux Barques Township
Mark Farrah — Former City Council Member, Southgate
Sean Fleming — City Council Member, Madison Heights
William (Bill) Frazier — Trustee, Van Buren Township
Joan Gebhardt — Former Schoolcraft College Board Chair; Former Wayne County Commissioner
Jim Godbout — Former City Council Member, Westland
Kimberly Gonczy — Township Clerk, Augusta Township
Keenan Gottschall — City Council Member, Wixom
Cheryl Hadsall — Former Commissioner, Saginaw County
Mustapha Hammoud — City Council Member, Dearborn Heights
Todd Hanna — City Council Member, Wyandotte
Jenn Harmount — City Council Member, Saline
James Hart — City Council Member, Westland
Jason Harvey — City Council Member, New Baltimore
Sharon Henderson — City Commissioner, Benton Harbor
Diane Howard — Trustee, Bingham Farms; Former Wayne County Commissioner
Monica Hunt — City Council Member (Mayor Pro-Tem), Royal Oak
Jalen Jennings — City Council Member, Lathrup Village
Roger Jones — Trustee, Brownstown Township
Dale Jurcisin — Former City Council Member, Livonia
Bryon K. Kelley — Trustee, Van Buren Township
Kevin Ketels — Former City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Woods
Kurmmell W. Knox — City Council Member, Roseville
Andrew Krenz — City Council Member, Northville
LaTonya Lamb — City Council Member, Ecorse
James Lancaster — Former City Council Member, Dewitt
Donald LaPorte — Township Clerk, Sumpter Township
Kathy Lapointe — Former City Council Member, Gibraltar
Brandon McCullough — City Council President, Livonia
Michael McCullough — Treasurer, Trenton
Arthur McNabb — City Council Member, Gibraltar
Anne Milligan — Township Clerk, Pointe Aux Barques Township
Christopher Moyer — City Council Member, Grosse Pointe
Jules Olsman — City Commissioner (Mayor Pro-Tem), Huntington Woods
Jacqueline Otto — Township Treasurer, Northfield Township
Stacy Paige — Treasurer, Romulus
Nelson Perugi — City Council Member, Trenton
Matt Pfeiffer — Treasurer, Orion Township
Colleen Pobur — City Commissioner (Mayor Pro-Tem), Plymouth
David Pray — City Council Member, Riverview
Marilyn Price — Former City Council Member, Northville
Mario Pruccoli — Trustee, Village of New Haven
Donald Quarles Sr. — City Council Member, Wayne
Lauri Read — Former City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Park
Dewey Reeves — Former City Council Member, Westland
Vikas Relan — Former City Council Member, Grosse Pointe Park
Thomas Richardson — Former City Council Member (Mayor Pro-Tem), Ann Arbor
Walt Rochowiak — Former Trustee, Van Buren Charter Township
Emilie Rohrbach — City Council Member, Madison Heights
Celeste Roscoes — City Council Member, Romulus
Melanie Rutherford — City Council Member, Pontiac
Andrea Rutkowski — City Council Member, Westland
Hassan Saab — City Council Member, Dearborn Heights
Michael T. Sareini — City Council President, Dearborn
Patrick J. Sutka — City Council Member, Wyandotte
Thomas P. Tafelski — Former City Council President, Dearborn
Tina Talley — City Council Member, Romulus
Terence Thomas — City Council Member, Grosse Pointe
Laura Toy — City Council Member, Livonia; Former State Representative; Former State Senator
Jessica Vilani — City Council Member, Berkley
James Wagner — Trustee, Wayne County Community College; Former Mayor, Wyandotte
Christopher Walsh — City Council Member, Grosse Pointe
Karen Ward — City Council Member, River Rouge
Deborah (Deb) Wass — City Council Member, Wayne
James Weaks — Former City Council Member, Riverview
Paul Weaver — City Council Member, Utica
Diane Webb — Former Wayne County Commissioner; Former Garden City Council Member
Joie West — Former Trustee, Clinton Township
Steven Wietecha — City Council Member, Roseville
Gary Woronchak — Former Commissioner, Wayne County; Former State Representative
Leon Wright — Clerk, Van Buren Township
Jennifer Zelmanski — City Clerk, Roseville
Current & Former School Board Members
Billy Amen — Trustee, Crestwood School District
Penny Bailer — Former School Board Member, Detroit Public Schools
Hussein Berry — School Board Member, Dearborn Public Schools
Nadia Berry — Former School Board Member, Dearborn Public Schools
Hass Beydoun — Trustee, Crestwood School District
Kenyada Bowman — School Board Vice President, Pontiac School District
Jill Buterbaugh — School Board Secretary, Garden City Public Schools
Sheilah Clay — Former Trustee, Farmington Public Schools
David Cox — School Board Member, Wayne-Westland Community Schools
Peter Deahl — School Board Treasurer, Holly Area School Board
Jennifer Dooley — School Board Member, Pontiac School District
George Ehlert — School Board Member, Oakland Schools
Danielle Elzayat — Trustee, Crestwood School District
Carol Finkelstein — School Board Secretary, Oakland Schools
Darlene Loyer Gerick — School Board Secretary, Van Buren Township Public Schools
John Goci — Former School Board Member, Wayne-Westland Community Schools
Steve Gottlieb — School Board Treasurer, Oakland Schools
Frank Hayden — Former School Board Member, Detroit Public Schools
Heather Herrygers — School Board Member, Grand Haven Area Public Schools
Marc Katz — School Board President, Oakland Schools
Porsche Laster — School Board President, Romulus School District
Paris McCarthy — School Board Vice President, Romulus School District
Tanisha Miller — Trustee, Pontiac School District
Shaunda Miller-Giles — School Board President, Ecorse Public Schools
Famika Roberts — School Board Vice President, Highland Park School District
Marc Siegler — School Board Vice President, Walled Lake Public Schools
Dr.Iris Taylor — School Board Treasurer, Detroit Public Schools
Scott Taylor — School Board Member, Lake Orion Community Schools
Terri Weems — School Board President, Farmington Public Schools
Connie Williams — School Board Member, Oakland Schools
Current & Former School Board Members
Rebecca Bahar-Cook — Trustee, Michigan State University
Bryan Barnhill — Board of Governors, Wayne State University
Mark Bernstein — Regent, University of Michigan
Mark Gaffney — Former Board of Governors, Wayne State University
Denise Ilitch — Regent, University of Michigan
Dr. Anil Kumar — Board of Governors, Wayne State University
Conrad Leroy Mallett, Jr. — Former Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court
Colleen McNamara — Former Trustee, Michigan State University
Brian Mosallam — Former Trustee, Michigan State University
Andrea Fischer Newman — Former Regent, University of Michigan
Former Michigan State Legislators
Brian Banks — Former State Representative
Marshall Bullock II — Former State Senator
Wendell L. Byrd — Former State Representative
Phil Cavanagh, Esq. — Former State Representative; Former Wayne County Commissioner
James Kosteva — Former State Representative
Keith B. Stallworth — Former State Representative
Thomas Stallworth III — Former State Representative
Richard Steenland — Former State Representative
Buzz Thomas — Former State Senator
Former United States Congress Member
David Trott — Former United States Congressman
