Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig files papers to run for mayor
Detroit Police Chief James Craig announces his retirement from the police department after 8 years as the chief and almost 44 years in law enforcement.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Former Detroit Chief of Police James Craig has filed papers to run for city mayor, sources tell FOX 2.
Craig was appointed as the 42nd Chief of Police for the Detroit Police Department in 2013.
Big picture view:
Craig joins the growing pool of candidates in the race to replace Mayor Mike Duggan.
Other candidates include Mega-church pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., City Council President, Mary Sheffield, City Councilman Fred Durhal III, former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate, nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins, Joel Haashiim and Jonathan Barlow, who are both local businessmen, and attorney Todd Perkins.
The backstory:
During the 2022 midterms, Craig filed as a write-in candidate for Michigan governor after campaigning for the GOP primary nomination. At the time, he campaigned on the belief he carry more sway in Southeast Michigan, a region that Democrats have often dominated in previous election cycles.
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James Craig files write-in candidacy for Michigan governor
Craig's trip to Lansing sets him on a very different path toward the executive seat in Michigan, following his disqualification from the Republican Primary ballot in May.
Craig was disqualified from the Republican Primary ballot, along with former candidate Perry Johnson.
Local perspective:
The diverse backgrounds of the candidates are not surprising, according to political science professor David Dulio.
"People are maybe now more willing than ever to take a look at somebody with that non-traditional path," he said. "I think there is a growing appetite - we know this from survey research that we have."
And the bigger the group, the more strategic each candidate will need to be.
Dulio said depending on which candidate is sizing up the competition, they will need to "play off each other differently." That could mean varying campaign ads, framing certain issues depending on who is leading and who is not, and beyond.
"Take a hypothetical, you know, let's say that speaker Tate, former Speaker Tate, was going to run against Mike Duggan, he would run a very, very different campaign in that scenario than he will versus a field of other open seat candidates," said Dulio.
The election is on Nov. 4, 2025.
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Detroit's mayoral candidate pool continues to grow in race to replace Duggan
There are now eight candidates running for mayor of Detroit, including businessmen, a lawyer, councilmembers, and now a pastor.