‘People Are Angry’: Big City Mayor Who Left Democrats Blasts Ex-Party’s ‘Entirely Negative’ Messaging

Outgoing Independent Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan blasted the Democratic Party’s “negative” messaging strategy in an interview with Politico published on Friday.

Duggan, who previously was a longtime Democrat, announced in December 2024 that he is running as an independent to succeed term-limited Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He told Politico that his former political party has become “entirely negative in its messaging.”

“Everything the Democrats have to say is terrible about Republicans,” Duggan said. “‘Republicans want to cancel your hot lunches. Republicans want to cut your health care. Republicans can’t be trusted.’ I am waiting for the Democratic Party to step forward and say, ‘Here’s our affordable housing proposal. Here’s our mental health treatment proposal.’”

“It’s just been so frustrating to watch the Democratic Party lose its way,” he continued.

When asked by Politico about his independent gubernatorial bid, Duggan said, “the reason I am doing so well is because both parties’ messaging is to make you hate the other party more.” He later said that the best way for political candidates to win in 2026 is to “run against the negative partisan tone of their parties.”

Duggan also told Politico “it turns out that no matter where you go in this state, people are angry at both parties.”

“I’m not running to be the Democrats’ Governor or the Republicans’ Governor,” Duggan wrote in a December 2024