Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has endorsed current council president Mary Sheffield for the upcoming mayor's race. 

Sheffield and the Rev. Solomon Kinloch will face off in November for the seat, after the two were named the winners of the Aug. 5 primary. Sheffield took an early lead in the election results that night, Kinloch's win was determined about three hours later from the field of nine candidates on the ballot. 

Sheffield was first elected to the city council in November 2013, representing the city's fifth district. She was selected council president in 2022. She announced her official campaign for mayor in December 2024. 

Duggan's endorsement was among those announced during a campaign appearance Wednesday in Detroit District 5, Sheffield's home district. He is running for Michigan governor in 2026 as an independent candidate, stepping down as the city's mayor after three terms in that role. 

"For 12 years Mary Sheffield has been a major force in Detroit's recovery," Duggan said. "She used her leadership on Council to make sure every voice was heard and to make sure each program included all Detroiters. She is clearly the most qualified candidate to be the next Mayor of Detroit."

Sheffield thanked Duggan for his endorsement, calling it an affirmation of their years of partnership and shared commitment to the city's future.

"I am truly honored to receive Mayor Duggan's endorsement," Sheffield said. "Over the past decade, we have worked side by side to move our city forward, and I am grateful for his confidence in my leadership. His support means a great deal, but most importantly, it strengthens my resolve to keep fighting for Detroiters and to ensure every voice in our city is heard and valued." 

Kinloch's campaign issued this statement in response: 

"Mayor Mike Duggan doesn't get the right to decide his successor. The voters in Detroit will determine the next Mayor in November. 

"We don't have coronations. A mayoral endorsement won't stop the violence in our streets. It won't ensure a better education or create more opportunities for our children. After 12 years on the Detroit City Council—and 4 more as Council President—if you haven't fixed it by now, you're not going to. Detroit doesn't need recycled ideas or the same politics that have left too many neighborhoods behind. Detroit needs fresh leadership, with the courage to do what career politicians couldn't. 

"This campaign is about voters who want to see investment in neighborhoods, not just Downtown. They want a mayor who will make housing affordable for everyone, a leader who will attack poverty, and someone with a proven record of taking direct action to uplift our communities. We will win this election in the streets — door to door and block by block — to ensure that no one is left out of Detroit's continued growth."