Episode 274- Michigan Gubernatorial Candidate Series: Mike Duggan

When half the streetlights in Detroit were dark and the city led America in homicide, poverty, and unemployment, Mike Duggan stepped up to lead its transformation. Now, after 12 years of progress as Detroit's mayor, he's taking aim at Michigan's partisan gridlock with an independent run for governor.

"Every time the Republicans and Democrats switch control in Lansing, they change the rules," Duggan explains, describing how Michigan's education system has suffered through constant policy whiplash. The result? A state that has plummeted from 19th to 44th nationally in fourth-grade reading proficiency. This pattern repeats across critical issues from infrastructure to economic development, with each party undoing the other's work rather than building sustainable solutions.

Duggan's approach stands apart from the typical campaign playbook. Rather than targeting the opposing party, he's drawing crowds of voters fed up with partisan battles. At his events, Republicans and Democrats find themselves in the same room, often surprised to discover common ground with neighbors they'd previously seen only through a political lens. "You've got the only political group in the country where there are smiles at the meetings," one reporter observed.

The Detroit mayor brings substantial credentials to his gubernatorial bid. Under his leadership, the city emerged from bankruptcy to become a model of urban renewal, with rejuvenated neighborhoods, reduced crime, and even population growth after decades of decline. His administration has invested $1.5 billion in affordable housing while attracting manufacturing and technology companies back to the city. Most importantly, he's achieved these results by building consensus rather than exploiting division.

Looking toward Michigan's future, Duggan envisions a government focused on practical solutions to shared challenges: rebuilding the energy grid, improving education, addressing the housing affordability crisis, and creating an economy that keeps young talent in Michigan. His campaign represents not just a bid for office, but a test of whether voters are ready for leadership that transcends partisan lines and delivers meaningful results.

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