Detroit mayor's race gets big front runner, tight battle for second, poll finds

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield has a sizable advantage in the mayoral primary election, while a tight battle has emerged among at least three hopefuls for second place in the nine-candidate field, according to a new poll commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV (Channel 4) released Tuesday.

The May 27-29 survey of 500 likely Aug. 5 primary voters found Sheffield leading with 38%, holding a double-digit advantage over political newcomer the Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. at 14%. They were followed by former police Chief James Craig at 9% and former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins at 8%, according to the Glengariff Group-conducted poll, which had a margin of error of plus-minus 4.4 percentage points.

They were trailed by attorney Todd Perkins, 55, at 4% and Councilman Fred Durhal III at a little less than 2%. Perkins outperformed Durhal, 41, who followed his father in becoming a state lawmaker before turning to city politics, despite not being invited to the Mackinac Policy Conference debate last week.

The top two vote-getters proceed to the November general election.





https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/03/detroit-mayors-race-gets-big-front-runner-tight-battle-for-second-poll-finds/83989120007/