No Duggan = Gov. Benson in partisan repeat

The celebration you heard last Thursday when former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan dropped out of the governor’s race came from Jocelyn Benson’s campaign headquarters.

Michigan’s Secretary of State has masterfully positioned herself to be the Democrats’ nominee, giving her a glide path to be our next governor unless something seismic happens. I’m not going too far out on a limb in saying that.

Look at the reaction from the players involved.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel, who last year said Democrats needed to “punch (Duggan) in the mouth, and say exactly who he is” pushed out a statement literally minutes after MIRS broke the news.

“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.”

With that, Hertel threw the doors open and welcomed back the once ostracized who supported Duggan’s independent run. U of M Regents Mark Bernstein and Denise Ilitch. MSU Trustee Rebecca Bahar Cook. Former Melvin “Butch” Hollowell.

All of them. Even Wayne State Governor Anil Kumar, whose support for Duggan likely cost him renomination. Come on back. It’s all good.

For Duggan, when the going got tough, he got going. Exit stage left. Literally.

Unable to retool a message in response to shifting political winds, Duggan threw up his hands. 

“Geez, the political know-it-alls who told me I couldn’t win in the first place, told me I couldn’t win now. Guess I’m getting out.”

The only people more upset than Duggan’s own supporters are Republicans. Read Michigan Republican Party Chair Jim Runestad breathe fire.

“Mike Duggan’s exit is no surprise – voters saw through a lifelong Democrat masquerading as an independent.”

Yeah, life just got a lot harder for them. They know it.

Republican John James, who couldn’t be bothered to debate his Republican primary opponents for more than a year, immediately offered to debate Benson on Mackinac Island this week for the Detroit Regional Chamber conference. 

She, of course, said no.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson spelled out his two-step path to victory at a campaign stop last month.

1. Overwhelm primary opponent John James with negative TV ads.
2. Watch Democrats split their votes between Duggan and Benson in November.

Johnson hasn’t made a public appearance or statement since Duggan left the race. He knows.

He could play his corny country song “4747 give us room to grow” on a 24/7 loop on every radio station in the state. It doesn’t matter. Duggan’s exit sends everyone scurrying back to their partisan corners.

Guess we’re back to 2024 and 2022 and 2020 and … basically every election since the exits of Ralph Nader or Ross Perot. The two major parties are defined by their deep, entrenched ideological split. We’re all supposed to pick a bunker and start firing away at our brothers and sisters on the other side.

Republicans mostly won in 2024. Barely.

Now Trump has gone too far.

Tariffs are jacking up prices.

Why did we go to war in Iran again? Who cares. It’s $100 to fill up.

Meanwhile, Trump tore down the East Wing to build some gaudy ballroom. How much is that costing again?

I’m not taking a position here. Look at the poll numbers. Look at the results of the 35th Senate District special election earlier this month in the Tri-Cities. A seat Trump lost by 1 percentage point in 2024 went for the Democrat by nearly 20 points. 

Sure, we’ve got 150-some days until the general election. Things can change.

Maybe Republicans can prevent an ’08-style wave election. Keep Benson’s win under 10 points.

But here’s what hasn’t changed. Politics in America remains a tiring “A or B,” all or nothing, cage match.

You’re red or you’re blue. Compromise not needed. Just win. Roll over the opponent.

Maybe the public’s appetite for change in a third-party or independent alternative candidate isn’t there in 2026. 

Expect the public’s appetite to keep participating in the status quo to not be the same.

 (Kyle Melinn is the editor of the Capitol news service MIRS. You can email him at melinnky@gmail.com.)