Detroit’s mayoral candidates came out swinging during a debate televised on WXYZ.

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield and the Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. used the time to both address issues and criticize each other with increasingly personal attacks.

Morning Edition – Detroit Host Pat Batcheller asked WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter about the messages the candidates were sending to voters.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: They agreed on several core issues. They said Detroiters need better access to affordable housing, more investment in neighborhood communities and additional methods to fight crime and poverty.

Council president Mary Sheffield said she worked with outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan to deliver Detroit from bankruptcy.

But she wants to cut even more red tape to bring new business to the city at a time when federal Covid relief funding is running out.

QK: Reverend Kinloch is a political newcomer. But he says he is well-versed in one of the long-standing complaints in Detroit, that residents in the outer-ring neighborhoods just don’t feel the benefits from the investments made downtown since the city emerged from bankruptcy.

Pat Batcheller, WDET News: Neither Sheffield nor Kinloch are incumbents in this campaign. But Sheffield has served for a dozen years on the City Council. How did that play into the debate?

QK: Kinloch questioned just how effective Sheffield has been on Council.

She touted numerous programs she initiated, especially in regards to affordable housing and fighting crime.

Sheffield also alleged Kinloch did little to use his bully church pulpit to aid those efforts.

PB: That was only one in a series of contentious exchanges between the two candidates. And they seemed to become more personal as the debate wore on.

QK: Yes. In fact, the two traded accusations about possible corruption in their financial dealings.

Kinloch, who is in effect the challenger of a veteran, if young, incumbent government official, cast Sheffield as someone more interested in headlines and social media posts then residents’ concerns.

PB: Do we have any idea how this is all playing with voters?

QK: We gained a small window on those opinions courtesy of WDET’s Alex McLenon, who was with voters at a debate watch party.

He talked with Detroiter Chiara Clayton, who says she was not a fan of the attacking style of either candidate.

QK: We’ll see if that happens during the joint appearances the candidates have set over the next few weeks.

More election coverage

Detroit’s candidates for mayor are in the final weeks of their respective campaigns.  City Council President Mary Sheffield and the Reverend Solomon Kinloch are working to get out their visions for the future of the city. 

Jeremy Allen is the executive editor for the Michigan Chronicle.  WDET’s Jerome Vaughn spoke with him about the upcoming mayoral election.   

Allen says this year is unusual because Detroit voters seem to have largely made up their minds already. 

“It’s pretty clear that people are either for Mary Sheffield or for Solomon Kinloch.  And there are—there’s really no in-between.  And so, what I’m seeing from the community is folks who are invested in this race are fully invested on one side or the other, and there’s no in-between.” 

Allen says residents aren’t saying they want to read more and learn more about a candidate before making a decision about who they’ll vote for.   

Key issues

As far as key issues in the race, Allen says he’s found Detroiters have a wide range of concerns about the city moving forward.  Overarching issues that need solving are crime—or the perception of crime—and the tension between downtown development and development in city neighborhoods remain near the top of the list.   

The future of Detroit’s school system is also something residents are keeping an eye on.  While education isn’t under the purview of the city’s mayor, Allen says the next mayor should set up some sort of task force should be set up to work more closely with Detroit Public Schools Community District. 

“…to ensure that the city of Detroit can educate its children to be better citizens down the road, because all research points to the fact that a better educated community has impacts down the road and all measurables for quality of life.”          

Black leadership

No matter which candidate wins on November 4, Detroit will have its first Black mayor in more than a decade.  Allen says that will make a difference when dealing with Detroit residents—and when dealing with the federal government. 

“I think once a Black mayor assumes leadership of the city of Detroit, I think the gloves are going to come off for how the federal government looks at and talks about the city of Detroit.  There will be more room for scrutiny.  I think there will be much more room for just this negative tone towards the city that we haven’t seen in the last few months.” 

The Michigan Chronicle has endorsed Mary Sheffield for mayor.  The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press have also given their endorsements to Sheffield.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.  Early voting begins Saturday, October 25. 

More election coverage

Detroit voters will have an opportunity to see the two candidates for mayor debate each other tonight.  City Council president Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch will take part in the televised event at the WXYZ-TV studios in Southfield. 

Michigan Chronicle Executive Editor Jeremy Allen says many Detroiters have already made up their minds about who they’re voting for. “It’s pretty clear that people are either for Mary Sheffield or for Solomon Kinloch.  And there are – there’s really no in-between.  And so, what I’m seeing from the community is folks who are invested in this race are fully invested on one side or the other, and there’s no in-between.”

Tonight’s debate will be broadcast on WXYZ-TV 7 at 7 p.m. and streamed online. Citizen Detroit will hold a debate watch party beginning at 6 p.m. at UFO Bar – that’s 2110 Trumbull in Detroit.   

Additional headlines from Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Free Press endorsements

The Detroit Free Press announced Tuesday that’s it’s endorsing City Council President Mary Sheffield to become Detroit’s next mayor.  The Free Press says she’s more qualified to hold the city’s top job. 

The paper says more than a third of Detroiters now live in poverty – making Detroit the poorest city in the country.  The Detroit News and Michigan Chronicle have also endorsed Sheffield for mayor. 

Fire engines 

The Detroit Fire Department is adding new vehicles to its fleet.  The department is getting 10 new fire engines and 13 new ambulances.  There are also six new supervisory vehicles. 

The city’s total investment is $10.7 million.  Detroit officials showed off the new vehicles at a news conference Tuesday at Eastern Market. 

Rosa Parks mural 

The Detroit Department of Transportation is showing off some new artwork.  A mural of civil rights activist Rosa Parks is being unveiled today at the Rosa Parks Transit Center. 

City officials say the mural is part of efforts to make improvements at the center.  Parks became a symbol of the struggle for civil rights when she was arrested in December 1955 after refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a White man in Montgomery, Alabama. 

Parks moved to Detroit in 1957 and later worked for Congressman John Conyers.  Parks died in October 2005. 

Gordie Howe opening delayed 

The opening of the Gordie Howe bridge between Detroit and Windsor has been delayed. 

The previous timeline was for the international crossing to open sometime this fall.  But bridge officials say there are several items that need to be checked and double-checked before the structure is ready for traffic. 

About 98% of work on the bridge has been completed.  The “Gordie” is now expected to open sometime early next year. 

Gas prices fall

Gas prices are falling in Metro Detroit. 

The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is now $2.87.  That’s down 13 cents from a week ago, and 30 cents cheaper than last month at this time. 

Industry analysts say lower prices are a result of reduced consumer demand and the annual switch to a winter blend of gasoline, which is cheaper to produce. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Detroit’s mayoral candidates have their only scheduled debate this week.

The Reverand Solomon Kinloch faces City Council President Mary Sheffield in the general election. Kinloch, a political newcomer, says city leaders haven’t done enough to increase affordable housing in Detroit. He votes to do that and continue pastoring his church if voters elect him.  

“All of us got a responsibility, not to just do something from a spiritual perspective, but to do something social and political. That’s my rearing and my raising. I believe that this is a great opportunity to inspire an entire city that ordinary people can do some extraordinary things.”

Sheffield argues dealing with Detroit’s housing and financial issues demands someone with the kind of experience she’s gained over a dozen years on Council.

The debate will be on Channel 7 starting at 7 p.m this Wednesday, Oct. 15.

– Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter 

Additional headlines for Monday, October 13, 2025

Dearborn Heights acting mayor 

Dearborn Heights City Council Chairman Mo Baydoun is now the Acting Mayor due to Mayor Bill Bazzi’s resignation. The U.S. Senate confirmed Bazzi’s nomination to serve as the Ambassador to Tunisia. 

Acting Mayor Baydoun says he will work closely with city council, public servants and local unions to bring fresh perspectives and solutions. He also says he will focus on public safety, city services, infrastructure and neighborhood revitalization.

Residents of Dearborn Heights will vote for a new mayor in November between Baydoun, the highest vote getter during the primaries, and Councilwoman Denise Malinowski-Maxwell. 

The next mayor’s term begins January 1st 2026. 

Detroit Repair Cafe

The Detroit Repair Cafe is hosting a popup at the Moondog Cafe in Detroit.

People can bring their clothes, electronics, bikes, toys and other things to fix for free. There is also free parking available.

The repair popup takes place every 3rd Sunday in October, November and December from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Moondog Cafe 8045 Linwood Street in Detroit.

The next repair clinic takes place Sunday, October 19. 

Rising Voices Salon Series 

The Asian American-led group Rising Voices is hosting another artist salon in their series “We Belong Here – Asian American Ancestry, Authenticity and Healing.”

The program will begin with a walking tour of Asian Americans and allies buried in the cemetery, followed by a panel discussion about AAPI history in America and healing.

The event takes place next Friday Oct. 24th at the Elmwood Cemetery 1200 Elmwood Ave. in Detroit. 

It is free and open to the public. 

Samaritan Operation Christmas Child 

The international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse is looking for gifts and donations for Operation Christmas Child starting next month. Volunteers are collecting and delivering gifts for kids who have faced war, poverty or disaster.

This year the initiative will have 5,000 drop off locations across the nation, hoping to serve 12 million children. People can also donate $10 for a box of goodies to fill a shoebox full of gifts for a child. Collection week is November 17-24.

Find the closest drop-box by entering your zip code on this Samaritan’s Purse page. 

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Voting has begun in Detroit’s mayoral election.

Reverend Solomon Kinloch, a political newcomer, is taking on career politician and City Council President Mary Sheffield.

Leading into the primary, the common refrain on the campaign trail was affordable housing and lowering crime.

Kinloch, the leader of Triumph Church, is no different.

In an interview with Detroit Public Radio, Kinloch spoke about filling up the city’s limited housing stock.

“We got to begin with, neighborhood revitalization. My plan would commit to putting a family in every house,” Kinloch said. “We do that by creating a greater pathway to home ownership, by increasing and intensifying the down payment assistance program… and prioritizing affordable housing development.”

The City of Detroit says there’s been over one billion dollars of affordable housing investment in the city since 2019. Many of those developments come with more expensive apartments, with units set aside for people with median income.

This, Kinloch says, is where he and Sheffield disagree. He thinks Sheffield, and the city, aren’t being aggressive enough.

“They’re bragging about affordable housing. Affordable for who?” Kinloch said. “You got rent 17,18, $1,900 a month. That’s not affordable for the average family in the city of Detroit.”

No victory laps when it comes to crime

Another key difference is that Kinloch sees city leaders, Sheffield included, already celebrating a drop in crime.

“I don’t think nobody should be taking a victory lap,” Kinloch says. “When you talk to residents in the city of Detroit, and when you leave a funeral, as I have left so many, where I’m burying too many young people in this city to go into saying, ‘you ain’t gonna change nothing’.”

Kinloch maintains that many in the city still feel unsafe, despite recent improvements.

“We got to be honest about how bad the problem is, so that we can take some comprehensive and some realistic and practical steps in order to deal with that,” Kinloch said. “People still don’t feel safe…they still got bars on their windows.”

That willingness to try new things when it comes to law enforcement and lowering crime does not extend to the using the National Guard in Detroit.

“I believe that the wonderful police officers in the City of Detroit should be responsible for caring for the people in the City of Detroit, and that people who live in the city should be responsible for being a part of that police department in order to patrol and protect their citizens,” Kinloch said.

Referencing the uprising in the summer of 1967, Kinloch says the National Guard being sent to Detroit is still an open wound for many.

“I believe that when you start talking about martial law, it regurgitates some traumatic experience for the community,” Kinloch said. “They long have tried, mentally and socially to and psychologically to distance themselves from (that).”

The organization that operates the Detroit People Mover has launched a study to look for ways to improve services.

Kinloch says he lives downtown, and he wants Detroiters to feel like it’s their downtown too. Expanding and improving the People Mover would help that.

“When I did my launch, people were saying, ‘Why are you going to the Fox (Theater)? That’s that’s not where we go. We don’t go downtown.’ We have to make sure that everyone in this city feels a part of what’s going on in this city, because if we bring them downtown, we want them to use the mode of transportation to get around downtown,” Kinloch said.

The 2025 Detroit primary election has concluded, and now we have a two-person sprint to November’s general election to determine who will be the city’s next mayor. In this episode of MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow breaks down the results with WDET’s Russ McNamara (host of All Things Considered Detroit weekdays at 4 p.m.).

Plus, Gorchow and host Cheyna Roth discuss a shake-up in the Michigan Public Service Commision.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode: 

• Why was there a personnel change in the Michigan Public Service Commission?
• What does the Detroit mayoral race look like now that the primary is over?

Highlights

On Mary Sheffield’s majority

McNamara said Mary Sheffield’s clear lead in the mayoral primary results didn’t surprise him too much.

“It always seemed like Mary Sheffield, especially over the past couple of years, was being groomed as the heir apparent to Mike Duggan,” he said. “And nothing in the run-up to this election swayed my opinion on that. And then nothing in the results would shake that either.”

Sheffield and Solomon Kinloch now advance to November’s general election.

On Alessandra Carreon’s replacement

Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently removed Alessandra Carreon, a clean energy advocate, from serving on the Michigan Public Service Commision, which regulates the state’s energy utilities monopoly. Whitmer replaced Carreon with Shaquila Myers, who critics call an industry ally.

Gorchow said the motive to remove Carreon is still unknown.

“The Governor’s press office has refused to answer questions about why Whitmer didn’t reappoint Carreon, saying only that she takes the appointments process seriously and there’s nothing that’s come out of these PSC meetings,” he said.

Besides Myers, the other two members of the PSC are Katherine L. Peretick and Chairman Daniel C. Scripps.

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield won a clear majority of votes in Tuesday’s mayoral primary. She’s now one of the two finalists for the top job in city government.

Sheffield says if she’s elected mayor, she’ll work to find new revenue streams to replace federal funding and invest it in areas that will continue the city’s growth.

“Where every Detroiter has a clear path to quality education… good paying jobs… and home ownership. And where strong pipelines in skilled trades and tech… gives our young people opportunity to build their future right here at home.”

Sheffield says she will also focus on re-invigorating Detroit’s neighborhoods, while investing in community policing and youth programs to create a safer city.

Detroit pastor Solomon Kinloch finished second in last night’s primary election.

He celebrated with supporters at the Roostertail. Kinloch says if he’s elected mayor of Detroit, he’ll focus on investing in everyone in the city.

“We’ll tackle poverty, attracting jobs that pay upward of $35 an hour, and make sure Detroit is trained and ready to be hired, we’ll invest in neighborhoods and not just downtown, because it’s not just about policy, but priorities that need to change.”

Former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins held on until the very end — before eventually coming in third in the primary for Detroit’s next mayor.

Most candidates vying to become Detroit’s next mayor agree the city’s high property tax rates remain a barrier to home ownership and attracting more residents. 

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

They say Detroit needs to find new revenue streams, especially now that the city has allocated all of its pandemic relief funding. 

On WDET’s The Metro, Detroit mayoral candidate and City Council President Mary Sheffield said Detroit must increase partnerships with the private sector. 

“I do not believe that we can tax our way out of anything. That’s one tool to have in the tool box. But overall we want to continue to increase our population, we want to continue to provide good-paying jobs because when that happens we get revenue back to Detroit through property tax and income tax,” she said. 

Sheffield and rival candidate Saunteel Jenkins say the city should explore creating a local sales tax. 

Other contenders — like council member Fred Durhal III — say Detroit should target new investment from green energy and tech firms. 

But mayoral candidate Solomon Kinloch argues the city cannot grow its way to prosperity without help from state lawmakers.

– Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter, WDET.

Other headlines for Thursday, July 17, 2025:

• Dearborn City Council voted Tuesday to restrict Airbnb and other short term rental units to the downtown area. The decision was in response to some residents who have complained about parties and parking in their neighborhoods.  The zoning amendments will take effect on Jan. 1. 
• Local prisoners will be receiving a new opportunity from Wayne State University. The university’s Prison Education Program allows inmates to receive a bachelor’s in sociology with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation, starting fall 2025. Staff say the major was chosen because of its broad reach and the transferrable skills that come from a strong background in liberal arts.
• Wayne State University is launching a women’s varsity soccer team beginning the 2026-27 academic year. It’s the first new varsity sport brought to the university in more than a decade. The new team will play in NCAA Division II as part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, with home matches on the lit turf stadium next to Tom Adams Field. The search for a head coach will begin this summer.  

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit has a long history in the maturation of Detroit’s religious and political scene. The church is guided by Pan-African Orthodox Christianity and was founded at a time when Black Americans were fighting for social and political progress. 

The Shrine’s political arm, the Black Slate, endorses political candidates whom they believe will act in the best interest of Black Detroiters.

Most recently, the group endorsed Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. for mayor of Detroit, and District 2 Councilwoman Angela Whitfield Calloway for city council. 

Kandia Milton, associate pastor at the Shrine of the Black Madonna and chairman of the Black Slate, joined The Metro to share more about the organization and its endorsements. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

The United Auto Workers union announced last month it would be endorsing Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. in the Detroit mayoral race, calling him “a longtime advocate for working-class people.”

Kinloch, a senior pastor at Detroit’s Triumph Church, is the only candidate in the mayoral race who has not held an elected position. He is currently battling for second place in the race behind frontrunner Mary Sheffield — who continues to maintain a sizable lead. The top two vote getters in the Aug. 5 primary will face off in the November general election.

In Detroit, a political endorsement from the UAW has always carried considerable weight, but membership is down in recent decades, and there are shifting political views within.

Today on The Metro, UAW Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson joined the show to discuss the endorsement and why it matters.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro