2025 is here, and it’s hard to know exactly what it will look like for Michiganders. But we can sure as hell speculate. For our annual feature, we asked three political consultants, a political science professor, and (to keep it light) two sports journalists to help us make sense of what to expect this year. (And next year, we’ll see if any of it comes true — click here to see how we did in 2024).
Who Will Run for Governor in 2026, and Who Has the Best Shot?
In 2026, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will reach her term limit. Already, many politicians are exploring a run, to various degrees.
On Dec. 4, Mike Duggan, the Democratic mayor of Detroit, announced he was running for governor of Michigan as an independent candidate. “It’s a gutsy move,” says Detroit Democratic consultant Adolph Mongo. “To take the seat, he’s going to have to build a coalition. So he’s looking at folks disgruntled with the Democratic Party, he’s looking at moderate Republicans that don’t drink the MAGA Kool-Aid, and looking at independents that don’t have anywhere to go.”
On the Democratic side, according to Mongo, Democratic consultant Adrian Hemond, and Republic consultant Jason Roe, contenders include Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II; Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson; state Sen. Mallory McMorrow; Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson; and Biden’s Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg (a Michigan resident since 2022). All three men generally pointed to Benson as the Democratic front-runner.
On the Republican side, contenders include U.S. Rep. John James; former Attorney General Mike Cox; state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt; businessman Kevin Rinke; 2022 Whitmer challenger Tudor Dixon; and former state House Speaker Thomas Leonard.
“Somebody threw [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] Dick DeVos’s name out there,” Mongo says. “Dick DeVos wasn’t good back then, and he’s not good now.”
Another is Mike Rogers, who lost the U.S. Senate race to Elissa Slotkin and was passed up by Donald Trump for the FBI director pick. “I’d be hopeful that Rogers would look at the governor’s race, because I think he could get Trump’s endorsement,” Roe says.
How Will the Trump Presidency and Republican Trifecta in Washington, D.C., Affect Michigan
Mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and deregulation are among the immediate proposed changes for Donald Trump’s second term.
Michigan is home to an estimated 130,000 unauthorized immigrants, according to Pew Research Center data from 2022. On opposite sides of the political aisle, both Jason Roe and Adrian Hemond agree that the impact in Michigan will be minimal if Trump’s policy focuses on violent or drug offenders, but significant if it’s a blanket deportation of all undocumented immigrants, many of whom contribute to Michigan’s workforce and pay taxes.
“Then we could see labor shortages,” Republican consultant Roe says. “And we could see inflation, because to hire different workers is probably going to drive up the labor costs, which is going to be reflected in wholesale retail costs.”
Trump has promised to roll back regulations on the fossil fuels industry. He’s also said he will “rescind all unspent funds” under the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for renewable energy sources like solar power and wind energy. Michigan, which is below average in its utilization of renewable energy sources when compared to other states — despite a climate bill passed at the end of 2023 that is intended to help the state produce 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and eventually 100% by 2040 — would lose access to those incentives.
Also on the chopping block are many subsidies related to electric vehicles.
Late last November, a lobbying group representing major automakers including Detroit’s Big Three sent a letter to Trump urging him to retain consumer tax credits for EV purchases, Reuters reported.
Who Will Be Mayor of Detroit in 2025
Even before Mayor Mike Duggan announced he wasn’t seeking a fourth term in 2025, several contenders had been reported to be considering a run for the Motor City’s highest office. As of early January, both City Council President Mary Sheffield and local business owner Joel Haashiim have announced their candidacies. City Council member Fred Durhal III and former City Council member Saunteel Jenkins have formed exploratory committees.
According to Detroit Democratic consultant Adolph Mongo, other names that are circulating include Todd Bettison, who became deputy mayor in 2022 and was appointed by Duggan as interim police chief in 2024; Dennis Archer Jr., the son of former Mayor Dennis Archer; and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who ran for governor in 2022 and U.S. Senate in 2024. While Detroit native Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II’s name has been floated, “He told me he didn’t want to run for mayor — he wants to run for governor,” Mongo says.
Another possibility is former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate. “He’s got an incredible personal story; he would be a really interesting option for Detroiters,” Roe says. He adds that two former U.S. House candidates for the 13th District are also weighing a run: Michael Griffie, who lost the Democratic primary in 2022, and Martell Bivings, Shri Thanedar’s 2024 Republican challenger.
Duggan has declined to endorse a candidate (yet, at least), leaving the playing field wide open. “We’ll see how it plays out,” Mongo says. “It’s going to be a free-for-all.”
Which Detroit Sports Teams Will Make It to the Playoffs and Beyond?
Hour Detroit spoke with two local sports commentators who generally agree on the low-hanging fruit. Both men predicted the Lions would go far.
“The Lions are the best team in the NFL, and it’s not even close,” says Ryan Ermanni, a reporter and anchor for Fox 2 Detroit and a co- host on the Woodward Sports Network. “I believe the Lions will have the No. 1 seed in the NFC … make it to the Super Bowl, and win the Super Bowl!” Detroit News sports writer Nolan Bianchi isn’t committing to the big game, saying, “I anticipate the Lions will be Super Bowl contenders over the next handful of years.”
Additionally, both predict the Tigers will make it to the postseason again. Ermanni is going as far as to say the team will make it to the 2025 World Series.
Ermanni thinks the Red Wings have no chance to go past the regular season but that the Pistons’ new manager and head coach will lead them to the playoffs. “I believe Trajan Langdon and J.B. Bickerstaff have so many parallels to the 2022 Detroit Lions when Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell came in and changed everything for the better. The 2022 Lions came just shy of the playoffs that year, but the Pistons will make it in!”
Bianchi says he believes a third team will make it to the postseason, but he’s undecided on whether it will be the Pistons or the Red Wings. “I think the Red Wings generally have a better team, but with the NBA’s play-in format expanding the field, there’s a nonzero chance they find their way in as well,” he says. “Frankly, I don’t feel great about either [team], but given the good vibes that have made their way into the city’s sports scene of late, I’m going to take an optimist’s point of view and say one of them finds a way to get it done.”
This story originally appeared in the January 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Jan. 6.
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