Swing state governor’s race gets curveball as top Dem runs independent, sparking calls for Buttigieg to enter

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan shocked Democrats by announcing an independent bid

Charles Creitz / Fox News

 

As Democrats hope to retain the governor’s seat in the swing state of Michigan with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer term-limited, a top Democratic figure has launched an independent bid, leading to a search on the left for an alternative standard-bearer.

Three-term Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, viewed for some time as very likely to seek the governor’s office, reportedly surprised the state’s body politic by announcing he will do so as an independent.

“I went to Lansing and built relationships with Democrats and Republicans. We took our neighborhoods out of the darkness of burned-out streetlights and we lit the entire city to the national standard… and reduced Detroit’s unemployment rate to its lowest rate in more than 30 years,” Duggan said in his campaign launch video.

“The current system forces people to choose sides that find solutions. I want to see if I can change that.” Read more and see videos here.