Hamtramck’s race for mayor is over—for now. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers has certified the results of this month’s contest.
Adam Alharbi has won the election for mayor by just six votes. The outcome of the contest was controversial, with more than three dozen ballots thrown out after they were found in the office of City Clerk Rana Faraj.
Losing candidate Muhith Mahmood tells WDET that he will ask for a recount. He says the 37 ballots should not have been ignored. “Canvassers denied a legitimate 37 votes. That is concerning, because this is not the 37 people who made a mistake. Since the race is so close to each other, they could find a way to count this ballot.”
Incumbent Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib did not seek re-election. He was nominated by President Trump to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait.
Additional headlines from Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Dearborn protests
Anti-Islamic protesters clashed with Dearborn residents Tuesday.
Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson initiated the protests after he called for an end to Sharia law governing Dearborn – even though there is no Sharia law governing Dearborn. He has since backtracked on this statement.
Muslim residents came out to stand up against anti-Islamic sentiments. Shouts were exchanged and in some cases there was shoving. One man reportedly tried to set a Quran on fire.
At a City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Mayor Abdullah Hammound said there’s room for all faiths to live together peacefully in Dearborn.
Belle Isle Zoo demolition
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is tearing down the remains of the Belle Isle Zoo.
The zoo was closed in 2002 when the city of Detroit decided it was too costly to operate. Animal enclosures and other buildings at the site have been empty since then.
They’ve been overgrown by weeds and vines. Officials say the remaining structures posed a danger. The DNR says most of the site will be returned to nature, although some parking spaces for other island attractions will be placed there.
Muirhead retires
Long-time public relations expert Georgella Muirhead is retiring. She currently works at the 98Forward PR firm. But she worked for years in the administrations of Mayors Coleman Young and Dennis Archer, helping to get their priorities out to the public.
She left her government office in the late 90s to begin the public relations firm Berg, Muirhead and Associates with famed Coleman Young spokesperson Bob Berg. They sold the firm in 2016. Good luck in your retirement, Georgella!
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Muhith Mahmood said he is filing a recount after yesterday’s official election results deemed Adam Alharbi the winner of the Hamtramck mayoral election by only 6 votes.
The results came two weeks after election day because 120 absentee ballots had to wait on signatures and other small fixes before being counted.
An additional 37 votes from absentee ballots were excluded from the official count after they were found improperly stored in City Clerk Rana Faraj’s office.
Faraj was suspended and is now under investigation.
Mahmood said he isn’t upset by the election results. He said someone has to lose.
“That’s just what democracy should be,” Mahmood said. “But the way canvassers denied or rejected 37 votes, that is concerning…I think that was not the right thing to do.”
Mahmood told WDET he is filing for a recount.
Alharbi told WDET that he’s glad the election is over. He also said he plans on contacting the FBI and DOJ to help remedy the continuous legal issues in the city elections.
“I plan to bring awareness to people that have that language barrier and tell them not to give out their empty ballot to any candidate or any person,” Alharbi said. “I’m just gonna try to find any way possible to fight voter fraud and ballot harvesting.”
Alharbi sued Mahmood after the election claiming he doesn’t live in Hamtramck and is ineligible to run for Mayor.
He also filed for a restraining order that would have prevented the Wayne County Board of Canvassers from certifying Mahmood as the winner.
On Monday, a judge denied the temporary hold on announcing the election results.
Mahmood said he does live in Hamtramck.
Alharbi said he will continue his suit against Mahmood—for now.
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan chapter, reports an increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sightings in metro Detroit.
CAIR-MI officials say community members have seen ICE vehicles in Wayne County. ICE also announced an increase in enforcement in the area.
CAIR-MI advises community members to be vigilant and aware of their rights, including asking to see a warrant and remaining silent except to request an attorney. The civil rights organization says people should have emergency contacts memorized and plans in place for their family members in case of an emergency.
Additional headlines from Monday, November 17, 2025
Hamtramck Elections
The Wayne County Board of Canvassers decided Friday not to count 37 ballots from Hamtramck’s mayoral race found in the city clerk’s office the day after elections. The board still has to count 120 cured ballots in the race, which could swing the vote in either direction.
Mayoral candidate Adam Alharbi sued opponent Hamtramck City Councilman Muhith Mahmood alleging residency fraud. The votes will be certified by tomorrow November 18.
Closing parishes
The Archdiocese of Detroit announced a two-year process to reconstruct parishes in Southeast Michigan.
Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger said over the weekend that there has been a decline in Catholics attending Mass, in ordained priests and “participation in the sacraments.” The changes include downsizing from 200 parishes which once served 1.5 million Catholics to today’s population of about 900,000 worshipers, half of whom he says are not baptized nor attend Mass regularly.
Weisenburger says there are also several aging church buildings and a shortage of priests. The new structure will move from a Families of Parishes model to a “pastorate” model, grouping one or more parishes into a single pastor’s team.
Parishioners will have opportunities to share their input through two listening sessions at each parish. The new changes will be announced in early 2027. Changes will take place by July 2027. Restructuring can be monitored at restructuring.aod.org.
Keith Center grant to expand AI tool
Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights received a $350,000 grant to expand a disinformation tool.
The VERDAD: Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse AI-powered tool monitors U.S.-based ethnic radio stations for disinformation for Latino media. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded the grant to develop and enhance the tool. The expansion includes adding more states and adding languages including Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.
The award-winning journalist Martina Guzmán founded the tool. Guzmán says the tool works as a civil rights safeguard to empower voters. Since the VERDAD tool’s inception last year, more than 320 academics and journalists have registered to use the tool.
Healing asthma event
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Michigan chapter, is hosting a program for people with asthma.
HEAL Asthma MI is a free program to help Michigan residents with resources and tools. Participants must be medically diagnosed with asthma, be 18 and up and face challenges to getting fair or equal health care.
The Islamic Center of Detroit is hosting a Turkey distribution this weekend.
The distribution takes place Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1-4 p.m. The mosque is providing halal turkeys. The Islamic Center of Detroit also has a food pantry open every Saturday from 2-5 p.m., located at 14350 Tireman Street in Detroit.
The Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, in collaboration with the Oak Pointe Church, is hosting a Turkey Giveaway on Monday, November 24 at 10 a.m. People can pick up a free turkey at the Brennan Pool Building at 21415 Plymouth Road in Detroit. First-come first-served.
If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.
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The Dearborn school system has named a new interim superintendent, Lamis Srour.
She currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Achievement over the Edsel Ford Feeder Track, a position she’s held for the past three years. Srour started working with the Dearborn School District in 1998.
She tells the school board that her focus will be on improving attendance, stopping bullying and repairing infrastructure.
Srour’s first day on the job will be Dec. 5. She’s filling in after the departure of Glenn Maleyko, who’s leaving to become the new head of the Michigan Department of Education.
Additional headlines from Wednesday November 12, 2025
Hamtramck election
The controversy continues in Hamtramck’s mayoral election.
The contest between Adam Alharbi and Muhith Mahmood has still not been decided more than a week after Election Day. There’s a difference of just 11 votes between the two candidates out of about four thousand ballots cast.
Alharbi has sued, charging that Mahmood is not a Hamtramck resident. And City Clerk Rana Faraj has been placed on administrative leave. With Faraj on leave, Wayne County is checking dozens of absentee ballots.
People Mover closed temporarily
If you usually use the People Mover to get around downtown Detroit, you’ll need another way to get where you’re going.
The system is shut down for a few days as workers make repairs and upgrades in advance of the traditionally busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. A new track switch will be installed for the elevated railway.
The People Mover will resume operations on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Shields fight deal
Flint boxer Clarissa Shields has signed a multi-fight deal worth $8 million.
She has a record of 17 wins and no losses. That includes 3 knockouts. ESPN says Shields’ next fight is expected to happen sometime early next year.
Keep home safe while traveling
AAA Michigan says now’s the time to start thinking about holiday travel plans.
The auto club says there are a few things you can do to keep your home safe while you’re away for a few days. Make sure to place lights on a timer—indoors and outdoors—to make it appear someone is at home. Set your thermostat lower, but not too low. You can save some money by using less heat while you’re gone, but don’t set the thermostat below 55 degrees. If the house gets too cold, pipes could freeze and burst.
And don’t tell the world about your travel plans on social media. There’s no need to advertise that your house is empty.
Gas prices on the rise
Metro Detroit gas prices are fluctuating as we get closer to Thanksgiving. AAA Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.05. That’s down four cents from the same time last week. But it’s 12 cents per gallon more than a month ago.
Industry analysts say, while demand for gas has fallen, supplies have dwindled, too.
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Political junkies have their minds on the elections that just happened this past week. But one year ahead, there are a lot more elections in the state.
That’s true for the governor’s race, where a slate of Democratic and Republican candidates, in addition to an independent candidate, are running for the seat.
Currently, Congressman John James and former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox are in the lead for the Republican nomination. Why? And, what do they need to do to win?
Producer Sam Corey spoke to longtime Michigan Republican strategist Jeff Timmer to find out.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Mary Sheffield will become Detroit’s next mayor. The City Council President defeated Pastor Solomon Kinloch, Jr. in Tuesday’s general election by a wide margin, winning more than 75 percent of the vote. Sheffield went into the final campaign with overwhelming financial and voter support. The new mayor-elect addressed hundreds of supporters at the MGM Grand just after 10 pm.
“In this administration, everyone will have a seat at the table. From our block clubs to our non-profits to our faith institutions, to our unions and the voices of our most vulnerable. Because, guess what. This city belongs to all of us.”
About half an hour before Sheffield spoke, Pastor Kinloch delivered a fiery concession speech.
“As the senior pastor of Triumph Church, I want you to know that fire just got re-ignited because, for the rest of my days, I’m going to keep on fighting for the citizens of the great city of Detroit. I love you and God bless you, my sweet Detroit.”
Mary Sheffield will take the oath of office to become Detroit’s first woman mayor in January.
Additional headlines from Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Detroit City Council Races
In the at-large Detroit City Council race, Mary Waters and Coleman Young won the two available positions, defeating Janeé Ayers and James Harris.
In District 2, Angela Whitfield Calloway defeated Roy McAlister, Jr.
In District 3, incumbent Scott Benson beat challenger Cranstana Anderson.
Renata Miller won the City Council election in District 5, beating Police Commissioner Willie Burton for the job. This is the seat that will be vacated by Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield.
Gabriela Santiago-Romero retains her council seat in District 6. She beat challenger Tyrone Carter. Santiago-Romero says she’ll continue working to protect residents in Southwest Detroit.
“Making sure that we’re protecting immigrants…that was a huge task of mine to make sure that we leave the National Guard outside of the city, that we fight back against any kind of threats to our residents. And just making sure that we are prioritizing our neighborhoods.”
Santiago-Romero will serve her second term in office, beginning in January.
Hammoud won with more than 70% of the votes in his bid against challenger Nagi Almudhegi. Hammoud became the city’s first Arab American and Muslim mayor in 2021, after mobilizing volunteers for clean-up efforts from catastrophic floods.
Dearborn voters also overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to divide the city into wards for districted elections.
Hamtramck Mayor
The race to become the next mayor of Hamtramck was the closest of the night.
Adam Alharbi won the race by just 11 votes. He defeated Councilman Muhith Mahmood. Those results are unofficial at this point. A recount might be possibility.
Incumbent mayor Amer Ghalib did not seek re-election because he was nominated to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait.
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How are residents reacting to Sheffield’s victory? What do they hope she accomplishes? And, what kinds of organizing and coalition building will the new mayor have to do to live up to her promises?
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
Audits show Detroit’s polling sites still fall short on accessibility, even as Michigan expands early voting. We explore what disabled voters faced this election — and what must change before the next one.
Unofficial results say that Adam Alharbi beat Muhith Mahmood in Hamtramck’s mayoral race by 11 votes in Tuesday’s election—but officials say the race isn’t over.
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
“Letters are sent to the voters so that they know that they have until this Friday, 5 o’clock, to correct the ballot. Since the race was so close with just 11 votes difference, with 150 ballots pending to be corrected, it’s really anybody’s race at this point.”
Faraj said after voters correct their ballots at city hall, it could take up to a month for the ballots to be certified by Wayne County.
Even after all ballots are accounted for, there is still a possibility for a re-count.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
How are residents reacting to Sheffield’s victory? What do they hope she accomplishes? And, what kinds of organizing and coalition building will the new mayor have to do to live up to her promises?
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
Audits show Detroit’s polling sites still fall short on accessibility, even as Michigan expands early voting. We explore what disabled voters faced this election — and what must change before the next one.
Dearborn voters have elected Mayor Abdullah Hammoud for a second term.
Hammoud won with more than 70% of the votes in his bid against challenger Nagi Almudhegi.
He told a crowd of about 250 people at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center Tuesday night that the city is built on coexistence across faiths, backgrounds, and political views.
Crowd at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
“To our Arab American community, to our Polish, Irish, and Italian American families, to every new neighbor and every long time resident, white, Black or brown, to every faith and every background, Dearborn is a place where you are seen, where you are valued, and where you belong.”
Sparks fly in celebration of Hammoud’s win in the 2025 mayoral election in Dearborn
Hammoud became the city’s first Arab American and Muslim mayor in 2021 after mobilizing volunteers for clean-up efforts from catastrophic floods.
Hammoud ran on a bid to continue the work he started four years ago. He said, “The way to win re-election campaigns is to treat people with dignity, to meet them in their homes and in their communities, listen to their needs, and deliver change that their families can see and can feel. That’s what we’re doing in Dearborn.”
Also in Dearborn, voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to create a ward system for districted city council seats.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
How are residents reacting to Sheffield’s victory? What do they hope she accomplishes? And, what kinds of organizing and coalition building will the new mayor have to do to live up to her promises?
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
Audits show Detroit’s polling sites still fall short on accessibility, even as Michigan expands early voting. We explore what disabled voters faced this election — and what must change before the next one.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mary Sheffield won the race for Detroit mayor on Tuesday, defeating Solomon Kinloch Jr. to become the first woman elected to lead the city.
Sheffield, the Detroit City Council president, received more than 50% of the vote in August’s all-party municipal primary. The office is officially nonpartisan.
Sheffield will succeed three-term incumbent Mike Duggan, who did not seek reelection. The Associated Press declared Sheffield the winner at 9:12 p.m. EST.
How are residents reacting to Sheffield’s victory? What do they hope she accomplishes? And, what kinds of organizing and coalition building will the new mayor have to do to live up to her promises?
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
Audits show Detroit’s polling sites still fall short on accessibility, even as Michigan expands early voting. We explore what disabled voters faced this election — and what must change before the next one.
In this episode, cannabis attorney Lance Boldrey joins the show. He chats with WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben about how the 2026 state budget affects the cannabis industry.
Plus, Republican gubernatorial candidates had their first debate this week. We discuss a notable absence and the major themes of the debate.
How does the wholesale tax on the marijuana industry affect businesses of different sizes?
Reviewing the first Republican debate for Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial race
Which gubernatorial candidates have raised the most money so far?
Cannabis in the state budget
The 2026 state budget included a 24% tax increase on the marijuana market. The tax will be applied to the retailer’s sales regardless of other taxes already listed in the line of items of any marijuana invoice.
Boldrey, who focuses on cannabis cases at the law firm Dykema, says small businesses will be hit the hardest.
“I think the folks that get the most negatively impacted are the micro businesses, which are the social equity part of the industry, which are people that come in as craft producers. They don’t have any wholesale activity at all because everything is grown, processed and sold in the exact same location.”
Boldrey says these micro businesses can’t make a wholesale purchase or a wholesale sale, but they will have a wholesale tax on their production.
Reviewing the gubernatorial debate
At the Republican gubernatorial debate this week, there was a notable absence from U.S. Representative John James, who said he would not participate in these debates until the field was more settled. As of now, James is perceived as the frontrunner, but there may be risk with his approach.
He’s already upset some GOP delegates mad by skipping a different event organized by the state party. If he does win the primary, he may have to win those delegates back heading into the general election.
Also, campaign finance reports were due this week from all parties. Republican John James, Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Independent Mike Duggan have raised the most from donors in their campaigns so far.
One-of-a-kind podcasts from WDET bring you engaging conversations, news you need to know and stories you love to hear. Keep the conversations coming. Please make a gift today.
Highland Park activist Robert Davis is suing Detroit mayoral candidate Solomon Kinloch Jr. for slander and defamation, claiming the megachurch leader maliciously lied about him during and after a recent debate.
Next week, the Hamtramck will residents will elect a new mayor.
That’s because the outgoing mayor, Amer Ghalib was picked to be the Kuwait ambassador. His Senate confirmation is stalling because of a positive remark he made about Saddam Hussein, liking a social media post comparing Jews to monkeys, and for his refusal to condemn Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians.
Still, in Hamtramck, residents have a choice of who they want to be the next mayor. Those candidates include Adam Alharbi, Hamtramck City Council Member Muhith Mahmood, and write-in candidate Lynn Blasey.
WDET reporter Nargis Rahman reported on the race, and joined The Metro to discuss.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
A Pontiac activist has filed an emergency court motion questioning whether mayoral candidate Michael McGuinness is eligible to run for office under a state constitutional amendment inspired by former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s corruption scandal.
Harris says winning would fulfill a dream he’s had since a city councilman came to his elementary school and spoke to his fifth grade class.
“He made us feel like our voice counted,” Harris says. “And I said one day I want to serve the citizens in that capacity.
Harris is the only at-large candidate without council experience. He says that’s not necessarily a disadvantage.
“The majority of people say we need some fresh blood in there,” he says. “The city always needs to change.”
One change Harris says he wants is to make it easier for new businesses to start up in Detroit. He says it’s frustrating for many entrepreneurs to cut through red tape.
“I’d make it a simple one-stop shop,” he says. “You get your certificates, you get all your compliance done, bam! You’re ready to go.”
Public safety matters
Harris has been a Detroit firefighter for 28 years. He says that experience is something his opponents do not have. He also says public safety starts with the citizens.
“You can’t have a police officer on every corner, every block, every house, but you do have citizens,” Harris says. “When you build that bridge with the citizens, with community violence intervention, it works.”
Harris says he does not want to see the National Guard policing the city.
“We have one of the best police departments in the world,” he says. “Our police officers, our citizens, our block clubs have a relationship.”
His vision: an affordable, walkable city
Harris says one way to increase affordable housing in Detroit is to lower property taxes. Another is to keep building housing projects that working class people can buy. He also wants to make Detroit more walkable. Harris says people should be able to walk to work, school, church, and recreation centers safely.
“I will work with the eight other council members to see what we could do to have more walkable communities.”
Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025.
WDET interviews with other candidates in this race
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj says 150 absentee ballots were rejected for not having a signature on the ballot or for ballot signatures that didn’t match city records.
Audits show Detroit’s polling sites still fall short on accessibility, even as Michigan expands early voting. We explore what disabled voters faced this election — and what must change before the next one.
Detroit is preparing for a mayoral election filled with “firsts.”
For the first time in a dozen years voters will elect a new leader to guide the Motor City, as Hizzoner Mike Duggan leaves to make an independent bid for governor.
And the next mayor will become either the first woman or, as far as city historians can tell, the first clergyman to ever sit atop Detroit’s government.
Blazing a political trail
History was on display at a recent news conference in Detroit’s Dexter-Linwood neighborhood.
Detroit City Council President and mayoral candidate Mary Sheffield stood in front of a historic-but-abandoned apartment building.
The structure is on a fast-track for development because of a program Sheffield helped create to address the city’s lack of affordable housing. She called it one of many initiatives she pursued during her dozen years on Council.
But Sheffield is also fully aware that she herself is at the precipice of Detroit history.
Mary Sheffield announcing her mayoral bid at a union hall in Detroit.
Sheffield is the first woman in more than 30 years to make it to the general election for mayor.
“I have thought about it,” she said. “I definitely lead with the fact that I’m the most experienced candidate, I just happen to be a woman. But I do think it sends a powerful message that we are ready for women leadership in Detroit. Most importantly it shows our next generation of women that they can be anything they put their mind to.”
Sheffield says she believes Detroiters are finally prepared to send a woman to the mayor’s office.
“That’s what I’ve heard. I’ve been campaigning for a year now and there’s a lot of excitement. In 324 years we’ve never had a woman lead. We’ve had 75 mayors in Detroit. Not one has been a woman. We’ve seen women lead in other cities, so it’s not new.”
Tough enough to be mayor
Many women have chaired Detroit’s City Council.
But some who sought the mayor’s job, like former Council Member Saunteel Jenkins, say they ran into gender-based roadblocks.
“There is still a real power base and a voting base that, for whatever reason, doesn’t believe women should be leading,” Jenkins said.
She came up just short of being one of the top two finalists in this year’s mayoral race.
But Jenkins is a veteran campaigner for political office.
And she says women candidates deal with a level of scrutiny their male counterparts do not.
“Things as little as the height of the heels you wear or if you have on heels at all,” Jenkins said. “I was talking to someone just recently about when Jennifer Granholm ran the first time for governor in Michigan and how much time they spent even on her hair color. Because people would judge her based on how blonde she was or was not.”
Jenkins had navigated political gauntlets before.
Yet despite having served as City Council president and the CEO of a non profit, Jenkins says it was clear a different standard applied to being the executive officer of Detroit’s government.
“There were people who said, ‘Leading Council, that’s amazing. But the mayor’s office? You sure you want to do that? That’s a tough job.’ As if women would not be tough enough to do that. And that was a question I was asked often, are you tough enough for this job? It’s not something that people would ask a man.”
Mixing ministry with the mayor’s office
The candidate vying with Sheffield to be Detroit’s next mayor has faced his own questions — because he is a man of the cloth.
The Rev. Solomon Kinloch, Jr. spent his primary election night victory speech hammering Sheffield. Not for her gender, but for what he alleged is her neglect of neighborhoods where a majority of children still live in poverty.
“Where do we go from here? Detroit deserves results,” Kinloch told the crowd of supporters. “We deserve more than you just talking the talk. We deserve you stepping up and standing up and walking the walk.”
Russ McNamara interviews Rev. Solomon Kinloch in the WDET studio ahead of Detroit’s mayoral election.
Kinloch has said he’ll continue pastoring his Triumph Church if he’s elected mayor. He calls his campaign an extension of his ministry.
“This gives an opportunity to see the preacher in a different role. To know that 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. And if I don’t do nothing else, I believe that this is a great opportunity to inspire an entire city that ordinary people can do some extraordinary things.”
The bully political pulpit
But other pastors in the Motor City say mixing politics and the pulpit often means walking a treacherous moral tightrope.
The Rev. Nicholas Hood III was a Detroit City Council member in the early 2000’s and twice made unsuccessful bids for the mayor’s office.
Hood says while on Council he had to serve both the public and his own conscience.
“It’s one thing to take a position on any issue from the perspective of political expediency. But then to add the burden of deciding if this is morally right. Does this position jive with my faith and what I think God would expect of me?”
Hood says running for office was not exactly what some of his congregation expected. Or approved of.
“My church members always raised an eyebrow. They were proud of me. I think they still are. But people would say, ‘I don’t want you to be corrupted. Politics is corrupt.’ I would always counter, ‘But that’s all the more reason why you need people like me to get engaged.’ ” Detroit’s churches do have a history of being politically active.
Sheffield noted that fact during a recent and contentious televised mayoral debate with Kinloch.
She said, “We have a pastor here who has not developed one unit of housing. But we have a lot of your peers who’ve joined in our faith-based initiative, where we’re gonna be supporting our faith-based institutions to spur economic development and build housing here in the city of Detroit.”
Kinloch’s response was one of many testy exchanges between the two mayoral contenders.
“Mary, it’s disingenuous for you to assault me and my church for all of the work that you know we’ve done in this community. Triumph Church and Solomon Kinloch have done more for this community than anybody you know.”
Detroiter Ronald Ferguson, for one, says he’s seen broken streetlights come on and blighted buildings come down in his neighborhood.
But Ferguson questions how much Sheffield had to do with that.
He says Kinloch’s message of reducing poverty resonates with him.
“I feel he’s for the people. And I think he’ll do a better job than what we’ve seen over the past 6-10 years from his opponent,” Ferguson said. “She’s been Council President for so long. Yet where’s all the results from her efforts? So I’m ready to try something different to see if I can get a different result.”
But there’s a different vibe at a watch party where Detroiters viewed this month’s acrimonious televised debate.
Voters there, like Arlyssa Heard, had few concerns about Sheffield’s record.
Heard says she values both Sheffield’s service and the historic nature of the Council President’s run for mayor.
“I think it’s important,” Heard said. “I think it also is a statement that as long as you’re qualified, whether you are a woman or a man, it means something. But I think it would be great to see a woman lead this town. I don’t know if that’s gonna have anything to do with my decision. But I think it would make for some good things to talk about the next morning over coffee.”
When that sun rises after Election Day it will mark a new dawn for Detroit politics, whether it’s a woman or a minister set to occupy the mayor’s chair.
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There are just a few days left until Detroit’s municipal elections take place. Early voting began last Saturday.
The two candidates for mayor, City Council President Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch, are scheduled to take part in a forum Thursday at the Detroit Economic Club. That’s expected to be their last meeting before next week’s election. Each candidate will take the stage alone to answer a series of questions about their vision for the city.
This event is not a debate.
Additional headlines from Wednesday, October 29, 2025
SNAP benefits
Food banks and pantries are preparing for a surge in demand if federal food aid is paused this weekend from the government shutdown.
The outlets were already struggling after federal program cuts this year. Now, SNAP benefits are set to pause Nov. 1. It’s the latest in a string of hardships placed on charitable food services. Food banks and pantries across the country are concerned about meeting the growing need left in the wake of that pause.
Some states are trying to fill the gap, but others lack resources to help. (AP)
Ghalib Senate
Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib is seeing some Senate opposition to his nomination to become U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait.
President Trump nominated Ghalib earlier this year, but the discovery of social media posts criticizing Israel have pushed some Republican Senators to say they will not back his nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Ghalib says he will not withdraw his name from consideration for the position.
Arthur Murray Event
City officials gathered on Detroit’s east side Wednesday to break ground on a new housing development.
The project, called “The Arthur Murray”, will renovate a historic building in the East Warren-Cadieux area. The long vacant building will be turned into affordable housing and commercial space.
The renovated structure will include 32 apartments.
Gas prices
Detroiters are continuing to get a break at the gas pump. The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $2.99 today. That’s down a penny from last week and is 12 cents cheaper than last month at this time.
Analysts say the annual switch to winter blends of gasoline is helping to lower prices, as is reduced demand for gas as we approach the colder weather months.
Hutchinson extension
ESPN is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to a huge contract extension with defensive end Aiden Hutchinson.
The network’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the four-year deal is worth $180 million per season. That’s one of the most lucrative contracts ever in the NFL for a non-quarterback position. Hutchinson has six sacks in seven games this season after missing most of the 2024 season with a broken leg. He’s considered one of the best pass rushers in the league.
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Adam Alharbi, 44, is an engineer for the Department of Commerce. He’s running for Hamtramck mayor to improve the place he’s called home since he was a kid.
“I will show that I’m for everyone. I’m not a Yemeni candidate or a Muslim candidate, I’m an Hamtramckan candidate that I will serve everyone equally, regardless of race, religion,” he says.
Alharbi says among residents’ top concerns are high property taxes and water bills, along with deteriorating water lines and sewer systems.
“We have sewer systems and water lines that are deteriorated and been neglected for so many years, and now we need millions and millions of dollars to change them,” he says.
But Alharbi says there is potential for change.
“We have potential to make it look nice and attract visitors and businesses and improve our city,” he says.
Alharbi, 44, was the highest vote getter in Hamtramck’s mayoral primary election, with 1,931 votes.
Alharbi says repairing water and sewer lines can take place over years and phases.
Connecting Hamtramck
Recently, several Hamtramck city councilmembers have been charged or are being investigated for alleged election fraud cases.
He says its also important to educate voters, who may have a language barrier in the Yemeni and Bengali communities, to not present their ballots to any candidates, amid the allegations.
“Some of them [voters], because either they’re fairly new in Hamtramck, they feel like, oh, a candidate, he’s a government employee. He’s asking me this, it must be legal, but they don’t think it’s legal,” he says.
Alharbi says working with influencers to create videos in various languages about the do’s and don’t’s of elections may help inform voters.
If elected, Alharbi says he will make educational videos about city meetings and host an annual State of the City to further engage residents.
“A lot of people don’t watch or attend the council meetings, so I will make sure that I provide videos afterwards, explaining what happened, what our plans are, what our challenges are, so that they’re aware” he says.
Welcoming business, bringing people together
Alharbi, who is a part of the Downtown Development Authority, says he plans to expand business in the city by updating parts of Banglatown in Hamtramck to reflect the Bangladeshi population. Similarly, he hopes to create a Yemen Town and World Town on Jos Campau to reflect the communities in the city and attract new businesses.
“We’re called the world in two square miles. We just want to make Hamtramck a better city, good reputation and welcoming to everyone,” he says.
He says as a business owner, he will also work to ease business permits on Jos Campau and provide incentives to big businesses.
Alharbi previously served on the Hamtramck Zoning Board of Appeals and as Vice President of the Yemeni American Leadership Association (YALA).
Alharbi says he would like to host more events in the city to bring people together.
“We should look out for each other, because what unite us is far more than the differences we have,” he says.
He hopes to bring positive change to the city.
“I want a legacy that showcases a successful Yemeni Muslim person who improved a city regardless of the challenges that we had,” he says.
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Lynn Blasey, 42, is a write in candidate for Hamtramck mayor. She says she decided to run after community members asked her to run.
“When some community members approached me, it was really asking me to be a voice or a viable choice that residents can feel more comfortable about,” she says.
Blasey is the co-director of Community Arts Partnerships for the College for Creative Studies. She has worked at the education department at the Arab American National Museum, educating people about Arab American communities.
Blasey ran and lost bids for the Hamtramck City Council in 2021 and 2023. She serves as the vice chair of the Hamtramck Arts and Culture Commission.
She created the Hamtramck Area Disaster Recovery Group as part of flood recovery efforts for FEMA after the floods in 2021.
Uplifting Hamtramck
Blasey says she’s concerned about Hamtramck’s public image.
“People across the world have some pretty negative opinions of our city, and so this is a really good opportunity to sway that narrative and help celebrate the wonderful, magical things that make this community so unique and diverse,” she says.
Blasey says she’s disappointed by the recent election fraud in the city.
“I have spoken up previously about the effects cheating has and that people doing it continuously is a degradation of our democracy and really weakens the whole system,” she says.
Blasey says she would like to hold people accountable by taking a firm stance against people who don’t respect the law.
She says it’s important to communicate and connect with community leaders and organizations in Hamtramck to bring people together.
“I think we need to return to having more town hall meetings, utilizing some of our public spaces when there are some of those more challenging issues on the table, really taking those to the community,” she says.
Supporting the arts and businesses
Blasey is connected to the city’s arts community. She says more can be done to leverage artists.
“There is a huge design economy, arts economy, that Hamtramck is not really tapped into. We have a lot of artists here, but we’re not capitalizing on that,” she says.
Blasey is a part of the Hamtramck Downtown Development Authority’s Organization & Promotions sub-committee.
“I think there are some really uniquely Hamtramck ways that we can attract new businesses,” she says.
She says it’s important for people to work together, building on each other’s strengths.
“I think there is so much value in bringing people together,” she says.
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While much of the media’s attention on November’s elections has been on Detroit’s mayoral race, there are many other political contests happening outside the city.
One of them is in Madison Heights. That’s where a one-term city council member is running for mayor against the current Eastpointe police chief.
If elected, the council member would be the city’s first Black mayor. But what’s also interesting about this race is that he — not the police chief — won the endorsement of the Michigan Fraternal Order of Police.
How did City Councilor Quinn Wright do it? And, why does he want to be mayor?
Last week, Producer Sam Corey spoke with Wright about that and more.
The Metro reached out multiple times to Wright’s opponent, Chief Corey Haines. We still have not heard back from him.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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