Gongwer
July 17, 2025
The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC is endorsing Detroit mayor and independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan, it announced this morning.
Noting that the race for the next governor is already “populated by many good and longtime friends of the chamber,” the PAC’s announcement admitted that in a calmer political climate, the decision to endorse would have been held off until the general election. This year, though, chamber leaders said they couldn’t wait.
“The chamber and businesses across the state are growing increasingly concerned about the inability of our political parties to find common ground and move Michigan forward,” Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah said in a statement. “Throughout his business and government career, Mike Duggan has proven he can bring people together to work toward common goals. Voters across Michigan are tired of the political infighting; they are clamoring for results-driven leadership, which is exactly what Mike has brought to every leadership position he’s held.”
The chamber said that with a quorum of members of its PAC present, the decision to endorse Duggan was unanimous. The PAC was the first organization to endorse Duggan on his write-in campaign for mayor in 2013, and members said his tenure as mayor has proven that endorsement and the ones that followed to be wise decisions.
“Mayor Duggan’s tenure in Detroit has been a case study in effective, consistent leadership,” said Honigman Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Foltyn, who chairs the Chamber PAC. “He has demonstrated a unique ability to bring stakeholders together to solve generational challenges. The business community has full confidence that he will bring that same steady hand and relentless focus on results to Lansing, creating the stable, pro-growth environment Michigan needs to compete on a global scale.”
The endorsement is significant for Duggan especially since it comes 16 months ahead of the general election as Duggan works to convince voters he is a better choice than one of the major party candidates.