Coleman Young II announces run for mayor of Detroit

DETROIT (WJBK) - He bears the same name of his father, the first African-American mayor of Detroit - and now, the state senator from Detroit has made it official. Coleman A. Young II is running for mayor.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time," he said. "I am just blessed and I thank God that my opportunity has come now."

Young says his mission is clear.

"I want to put people back to work, that's why I'm running, first and foremost," said Young, who made the announcement in a campaign office on the west side of the city Friday.

According to a recent census 40 percent of the city lives in poverty. Just this week FOX 2 reported on an effort current Mayor Mike Duggan launched "Detroit at Work" offering free training for skilled work available to Detroit residents. And before that, Duggan focused a majority of his State of the City address on revitalizing neighborhoods.
 
"Why was he not focusing on this when he first got in there," Young said. "He has fundamentally forgotten the people who have put him in there and I think fundamentally he has forgotten why he was there in the first place."

As far the voters are concerned, this Coleman A. Young says he has no problem if people want to compare him to his father.

"There will never be another Coleman A. Young," he said. "I'm just thankful to be mentioned in the same breath as him. But all his principals and all of his values, those are the things that are instilled in me."

The primary election will be held Aug. 8; all candidates wishing to run have until April 25 to file.