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Detroiters deciding on next mayor
Detroiters will head to the polls Tuesday to select the next mayor. The options are City Council President Mary Sheffield or Pastor Solomon Kinloch.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit voters are set to elect a new mayor Tuesday in the city's first open-seat race in more than a decade, choosing between City Council President Mary Sheffield and the Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr.
Sheffield and Kinloch are both racing to replace three-term incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan, who is not seeking re-election as he seeks the seat of governor in 2026.
The contest wraps an election cycle that began with a crowded field of nine candidates in the Aug. 5 primary. Sheffield, a seasoned politician with a strong base of support, and Kinloch, a prominent pastor leveraging a neighborhood-focused message, emerged as the top two vote-getters to advance to the general election.
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Sheffield is a lifelong Detroiter who has served on the City Council since 2014, representing District 5 before being elected City Council President in 2022, becoming the youngest person to hold that office. She grew up on the city's west side and holds degrees from Wayne State University and Central Michigan University.
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The Pulse Special: Detroit Mayoral Forum
We're a little more than a week out from Election Day in Detroit. As voters get ready to elect their first new mayor in more than a decade, candidates Solomon Kinloch Jr. and Mary Sheffield sit down with Pulse Anchor Roop Raj to answer questions on fighting crime, neighborhood improvement, the blight fight and so much more.
Her campaign platform focuses on expanding opportunities for all Detroiters, building on the city’s post-bankruptcy recovery while emphasizing equitable development. Her top three priorities are neighborhood development—including improving commercial corridors and infrastructure—addressing housing by creating paths to homeownership, and building the middle class to reduce poverty.
Sheffield has positioned herself as a champion for residents, often challenging the Duggan administration's use of tax incentives for downtown development without tangible benefits for neighborhoods. Her support for a robust Community Benefits Ordinance underscores her commitment to ensuring major projects translate into jobs and resources for the entire city.
Kinloch, the senior pastor of Triumph Church, one of the region’s largest megachurches with a 40,000-member network, is challenging the political establishment with a focus on uniting community, nonprofit and corporate leaders to tackle persistent poverty.
Kinloch's campaign is built on the belief that the government has ignored the needs of everyday Detroiters, particularly those in the neighborhoods outside the revitalized downtown core. His campaign, which he calls the "Kinloch Promise," proposes bold anti-poverty measures, including a "baby bonds" program.
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The proposed baby bonds would give a $1,000 seed investment into a trust fund for every child born and raised in Detroit, with the funds maturing on their 18th birthday upon completion of a high school diploma or equivalent. He intends to fund this through a new office of philanthropy, coordinating corporate and foundation spending toward this effort.
The primary results underscored Sheffield's strength, as she captured over 50% of the vote, nearly tripling Kinloch’s 17%. Sheffield has also dominated in fundraising, spending more than 10 times what Kinloch has in the general election and securing key endorsements from outgoing Mayor Duggan and former primary opponents.
The winner will inherit a city facing complex issues, including a shortage of affordable housing, vast economic disparities along racial lines, and the ongoing need to improve public safety and schools. Whether voters choose the experienced legislative leader or the faith leader promising a new direction, the next mayor will be tasked with guiding Detroit through its next pivotal chapter.
By the numbers:
Sheffield dominated fundraising and outspent Kinloch. As of Oct. 19, her campaign had spent more than $1.8 million and had roughly $772,000 in the bank. By that same point, Kinloch had spent about $160,000 on the race and had less than $11,000 remaining in the bank.
After winning the primary in August with more than 50% of the vote, Sheffield was endorsed by Duggan and two of her previous opponents, former city council president Saunteel Jenkins and city council member Fred Durhal.
For a complete list of Wayne County races, check out this page.