Mike Duggan drops out of Michigan governor's race

According to Duggan's campaign, he said he's disappointed to make the announcement, but he said the mood of the country has shifted in recent months, leading him to make this call.

He cited a toxic political climate, and said he doesn't want to "be a spoiler" come November.

The Michigan Democratic Party seemed to think Duggan's exit is a good thing, thanking him in a statement:

“We’re grateful to Mayor Mike Duggan for his service to the city of Detroit and our entire state. While we’ve had disagreements, the Mayor brought crucial ideas to this race and we appreciate his commitment to bringing people together," the party said. “As we look ahead, we welcome Mayor Duggan’s supporters into our growing coalition as we work to elect a Democratic governor this November who will continue to move Michigan forward.”

He's the full statement from Duggan:

"Dear Friends,

I am so disappointed to have to write you this letter.

For the last 18 months I’ve worked every day to try to change Michigan’s toxic party politics. I’ve been supported by hundreds of volunteers who believe deeply that years of constant Democratic-Republican conflict in Lansing have led to our schools declining, our housing costs rising, and our young people moving out of Michigan in record numbers.

We knew the Independent route was filled with challenge. Even against those odds, the excitement for real change carried this campaign upward for more than a year. In every one of the 5-10 town halls a week I was holding across Michigan, we hosted Democrat, Republican, and Independent neighbors all mixed together in lively and positive discussions. It was a remarkable experience.

But by April, the mood of the country had shifted suddenly and dramatically. Democrats (and many Independents) were unified in anger as Trump’s war in Iran dragged on and gas prices rose above $5 a gallon. On May 5, the Democratic State Senate candidate in Saginaw won 60% of the vote in a seat Republicans thought would be very competitive.

Against the Democratic headwinds, we worked twice as hard. We continued to pile up huge numbers of union endorsements, once the unions learned that Michigan election law allowed voters to vote both straight ticket Democrat and also vote Duggan as an Independent.

But for the public in general, our internal polling showed the intense anger over gas prices and Iran was boosting Democrats in every office nationally. The Chamber poll last week showing we’d fallen 11 points behind the Democratic candidate reflects that reality.

Being down 11 points in May wouldn’t discourage me – I’ve been down worse than that in the past. But this time it’s compounded by our inability to build serious national fundraising support. Michigan donors have been extraordinarily generous in supporting this campaign – 94% of my donors come from Michigan. We raised more instate than any other candidate.

But Governor’s campaigns are today funded overwhelmingly from well-established networks of national party money, which is why I’ve been all across America meeting with national groups to try to build a competitive fundraising network for Independents. There is much interest, but we’ve finally concluded the national fundraising for these groups is too much in its infancy to be of great help to our race in 2026. As generous as our Michigan donors have been, we will be strongly outspent by the national Republican and Democratic parties this fall."

Here's a look at the top candidate remaining in the race:

Democrats

• Jocelyn Benson: The current Michigan Secretary of State, Benson is widely considered the Democratic frontrunner. Her platform leans heavily on state transparency and protecting election infrastructure.
• Chris Swanson: The high-profile Genesee County Sheriff, known nationally for his community-oriented policing style.

Republicans

• John James: A current U.S. Representative and prominent voice in the Michigan GOP, James is considered a leading contender for the Republican nomination.
• Mike Cox: Former Michigan Attorney General and 2010 gubernatorial candidate, running on a platform focused on economic growth.
• Perry Johnson: A wealthy businessman and former presidential/gubernatorial candidate.
• Aric Nesbitt: The Michigan Senate Minority Leader, who brings strong establishment backing from Lansing.

Following Duggan announcement, Benson also released a statement, saying:

“I want to thank Mayor Mike Duggan for what he brought to this race and for his years of service to Detroit. At a time when politics can feel divided and cynical, we need more civility, more listening, and more people willing to work together to move our state forward. I welcome Mayor Duggan’s ideas, his supporters, and everyone who believes Michigan’s future is bigger than division — and that it can be a place where anyone can afford to live, work, and thrive. We may not always agree on everything, but we share a commitment to building a stronger Michigan. And that work continues in this campaign.”