The mayor, the players and other intrigue gleaned during my Mackinac Island adventure

Some go to the Mackinac Policy Conference for the sessions on the agenda, some go for meetings that aren't part of the program, some go for the opportunity to have the kind of spontaneous and candid conversations that rarely happen on the mainland, and some (not me!) go for the after-hours parties where the truth flows almost as freely as the hootch.

I always try to head up to the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual gathering of business, nonprofit and political leaders with a story in mind, but also hoping to find something better. Occasionally, big news breaks. That happened twice this year: First on the porch of the Grand Hotel, where the confab is based, and later that same day in a Manhattan courtroom. My superlative and indefatigable colleague Clara Hendrickson broke the first story, and the rest of us watched in amazement as the second unfolded on TV, radio and on our computers as we were trying to make deadline on our own far less-momentous reports.

Because there are so many people having so many conversations and so much of the real action happens behind closed doors, there's no way I could hope to capture — let alone convey — every significant thing that happened during the conference, which ran from May 28-31. But my boss won't pay my expenses unless I deliver two columns from Mackinac Island, so here is some of the most interesting stuff I found in my notebook when I got home.

The Player, Mary and the Mayor

Sam Riddle, resplendent in seersucker, stole the show Thursday when he introduced Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to endorse his partner, Mary Waters, in the 13th Congressional District Democratic primary.

Hendrickson broke the story the night before, sending a charge through conference attendees wondering why Duggan would hitch himself to a long shot candidate who was caught up in a bribery scheme that happened almost 20 years ago — and who comes with one of the canniest but most irascible political operatives in recent Detroit history.

The prevailing theory was that Duggan was trying to make friends who could help him if/when he runs for governor in 2026. I see some merit to that. But I suspect the real reason lies in something Duggan said earlier in the week during a panel discussion. As he has throughout his decade in power, Duggan said one of the biggest keys to Detroit's comeback is his good relationship with the city council. Waters was elected to an at-large seat on the city council in 2021. And, sure enough, most of the council stood with Waters as Duggan announced his endorsement.

Duggan said from the podium that the incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar of Detroit, was not effective. Then he praised Waters' tenacity and advocacy on a range of issues, like housing to workforce training.

A couple weeks ago, a colleague asked me what I thought about Waters.

I said Waters never should have won an at-large city council seat, but after the FBI raided incumbent Councilwoman Janee Ayers' home and office, Ayers essentially stopped campaigning. Waters began to gain momentum, finally raised a little money and surged forward to win one of two at-large seats on the ballot.

Waters shouldn't be a formidible threat to Thanedar, who again is expected to spend millions of his own money to win reelection. But after Thanedar got Adam Hollier knocked off the ballot for insufficient petition signatures, Waters became his most viable challenger.

Which is why I told my colleague something that is even truer today: "Don't sleep on Mary Waters."

Who's next, after Big Gretch?

It's a safe bet that Duggan and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will compete in the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel created a buzz about his potential candidacy even before he told The Detroit News' Nolan Finley that his interest in the race rated 6.5 on a 10-point scale.

That's because Hackel had TWO billboards posted alongside northbound Interstate 75, which caught the eye of conferencee attendees. Traditionally, you know you're about an hour from the ferry dock when you see Hackel's grinning mug pop through the trees. But, this year, Hackel made his debut much sooner, appearing on a sign near Flint with a message that appeared to reference his county's new jail. His second billboard, close to his usual perch, referenced border protection.

Hackel likes to be part of the conversation, but he should know Democrats will still be talking about the other news he made when he said he would not support Joe Biden's reelection bid.

As he did last year, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist assured me he will soon make big news. I don't think he fulfilled that promise in 2023, passing up opportunities to run for U.S. House or Senate. Announcing this year that he'll run for mayor of Detroit in 2025 sure would qualify, though.

Nevertheless, a couple politicos I spoke to still think Gilchrist is more likely to run for governor in 2026. If history is any guide, it will be a tough road. Michigan voters seem determined to pick the party out of power every time they choose a new governor. And if you can name the last lieutenant governor to be elected governor, I'll get you a six-month subscription to the Free Press for just a buck. (William Milliken doesn't count, because he first became governor to fill the remainder of George Romney's term after Romney resigned to join the Nixon administration.)

What's not clear is what Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will do after her second term ends. During a tribute to retiring Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Dan Loepp, she once again said she won't run for president.

Manoogian dreams

I can't shake the feeling that the field of candidates for mayor of Detroit is far from set. I've already reported that City Council President Mary Sheffield is planning on running. And now I can report that Charity Dean, a former high-ranking Duggan appointee who left to become president and CEO of the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance, has decided not to run for mayor.

I also have it on good authority that Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, who would have been the clear front-runner, will not run. And folks handicapping the race seem less convinced that businessman Dennis Archer Jr. will get in the game.

A potential new entry into the race is former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, who quit the council in 2014 to become CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund, commonly known as THAW. The grapevine has been buzzing with speculation that Jenkins will run, and whenever I ran into her on the island it sure looked like she's considering it.

Duggan, perhaps unintentionally, created some buzz during his joint appearance on stage with Detroit Police Chief James White that left some attendees wondering whether Hizzoner was annointing the chief as his successor. Few players keep their cards closer to the chest than Duggan, and he hasn't struck me as the type to spend much time on succession plans. But if White is interested in the job, he can point to DPD's performance during the NFL draft as proof that he can handle big jobs.

I've also heard sporadic speculation that Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate might run. Tate, the rare politician who listens far more than he speaks, could be a game changer. But I suspect all of the folks who helped make him speaker would lay in front of a bulldozer to keep him from leaving the statehouse.

Then a Lansing insider shared an intriguing theory at one of those Main Street bars I only went to in the line of duty. It goes like this: Tate won't run for mayor unless Democrats lose their majority in the House. In that case, giving up the long drive from the east side of Detroit to Lansing for a chance to move into the nearby mayoral Manoogian Mansion makes a lot of sense.

Finally, don't be surprised if one or two more city councilmembers and a big name from outside the political realm get in the race. More on that in a future column.

If any of these tidbits turns out to be true, remember you heard it here first.

If not, I can still get you a sweet deal on a subscription! Just click here.

M.L. Elrick is a Pulitzer Prize- and Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and host of the ML's Soul of Detroit podcast. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @elrick, Facebook at ML Elrick and Instagram at ml_elrick.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: The mayor, the players and the inside scoop from my Mackinac adventure