DETROIT – Candidates running for Detroit’s next mayor will be participating in a debate hosted by Local 4 on Monday.
Back in November 2024, current Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced he will not run again as mayor, making his position up for grabs. A month later, he launched his campaign for Michigan’s governor as an Independent candidate.
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The Primary Election for the city is on Aug. 5, 2025. The General Election is on Nov. 4, 2025.
Four of the nine candidates running for mayor will participate in a debate on June 16, 2025. Local 4’s morning co-anchor and Flashpoint host Jason Colthorp will serve as moderator of the debate, which is co-sponsored by AARP and presented in partnership with the Michigan Chronicle at Wayne State University. You can watch it live on Local 4 and Local 4+ at 7 p.m. on June 16.
Here are the candidates participating in the debate:
James Craig
Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig announced his bid for mayor in March.
He made his announcement at Executive Cuts, a Black-owned barbershop where he has been a loyal customer for years. He chose to announce his run for mayor at the shop to highlight the importance of locally-owned businesses in the city.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our city, and they deserve a leader who will prioritize them,” said Craig. “Detroit cannot thrive unless every neighborhood thrives. I’m running for mayor to bring strong leadership, economic stability, and real investment into our communities.”
He promises a mayoral administration focused on integrity, stability and economic opportunity for all Detroiters.
His visions for the city’s future include public safety, neighborhood development, education and youth development, and government transparency and accountability.
Saunteel Jenkins
Former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins launched her campaign for mayor in March.
Jenkins resigned from her position as CEO at The Heath and Warmth Fund (THAW) that she held for ten years to run for mayor. She served as a member and president of the Detroit City Council from 2010 to 2014. She also was chief of staff for Maryann Mahaffey for six years.
“Detroit’s next mayor must be someone who understands the job and is ready on day one,” said Jenkins in a statement the day she launched her campaign. “We need to not only ask who CAN win but who SHOULD win because it will be good for Detroit. My ‘Saunteel’s Six’ platform will be my guidepost in the days ahead to emphasize my leadership and readiness to work with Detroiters for a better future for all.”
Jenkins priorities if elected mayor are the following, as listed in “Saunteel’s Six”:
- A Safer Detroit
- More Jobs, More Opportunity - For All
- Get Small Business Back in Business
- Public Transit You Can Rely On
- Strong Schools for A Strong Future
- Stronger Neighborhoods - And a City We Can Afford
Solomon Kinloch
Pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr. submitted the maximum number of allowable nominating petitions to the Detroit Election Department, officially entering his name for the 2025 ballot.
Kinloch has served as senior pastor of Triumph Church for the last 27 years, growing it from 40 members to more than 40,000, making it one of the fastest-growing churches in the country.
“We are building a movement for all Detroiters,” said Kinloch. “My administration will ensure no neighborhood is left out of Detroit’s renaissance. For nearly 30 years, I’ve led an organization providing direct service to our community, feeding hungry families, providing housing and employment support, and helping students succeed with laptops and scholarships. Together, we will do even more for Detroit.”
Kinloch’s visions for Detroit include building more affordable housing, improving public safety, having workforce training programs and ending the city’s food desert.
Mary Sheffield
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield announced her candidacy for mayor shortly after Duggan said he’s not seeking another term.
Sheffield talked with Local 4 about her ambitions of going from city council president to mayor.
“It’s really more of a greater reach and more of an impact I can have moving on to the mayor’s office,” Sheffield said.
The native Detroiter was elected to the city council in 2013.
“I truly believe we have to have compassionate leadership,” Sheffield said. “Someone who is experienced, who has been here, who has done the work, and knows the issues of Detroit.”
Her visions for the city include quality educations, public safety neighborhood restoration, affordable housing and homeownership, and reliable transportation.
Why these candidates were selected
The candidates were chosen by the recent polling done in partnership with the Detroit News.
--> Poll: Here’s who leads Detroit mayoral race 2 months before primary election
The poll was done by Glengariff Group, and we asked Detroiters who plan to vote in the primary who they would choose right now.
Any candidate would quality that got at least 10% — including the 4% margin of error. So anyone who got 6% of the vote and above.
Four candidates met that threshold:
- Sheffield - 38%
- Kinloch - 14%
- Craig - 9%
- Jenkins - 8%
All other candidates were 5% or below.
What questions will be asked?
The questions come from the people of Detroit.
That same poll, along with another survey by our debate sponsor, the AARP of Michigan, showed several issues Detroiters care about and a clear pecking order of them. That—along with our partner, The Michigan Chronicle—helped map out what will be asked on Monday.
Each gets a minute to answer and possibly a 30-second rebuttal if they’ve been called out by another candidate.
How to watch
You can watch the debate on Local 4 and Local 4+ at 7 p.m. on June 16, 2025.