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Detroit Mayoral Fundraising: Sheffield Has Cash Advantage Over Kinloch, Jenkins

July 28, 2025

Detroit's nonpartisan mayoral primary election on August 5 will determine the two candidates who will compete in the November 4 general election, with campaign finance disclosures providing insight into candidates' financial backing. The top three candidates raised $526,560 from Detroit addresses, while $1. 5 million came from non-residents, according to BridgeDetroit, which created an interactive map showing donation origins.

Who is affected

  • Detroit residents and voters
  • The nine mayoral candidates and their campaigns
  • Political donors from within and outside Detroit
  • Political action committees and organizations making donations
  • Metro Detroit business leaders and executives
  • Religious organizations and their members (particularly Triumph Church)
  • Labor unions contributing to campaigns

What action is being taken

  • Campaign finance disclosures are being published to the Wayne County campaign finance website
  • BridgeDetroit is creating an interactive virtual map showing where mayoral donations are coming from
  • Candidates are spending funds on campaign activities including mailers, consulting fees, staff wages, and travel
  • Donors are contributing to campaigns, with some giving the maximum allowed amount of $8,325
  • The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC is supporting Fred Durhal's campaign after endorsing him

Why it matters

  • The disclosures provide transparency about who is financially backing each candidate
  • Most donations to Detroit mayoral candidates come from outside city limits ($1.5 million vs. $526,560 from Detroit addresses)
  • Financial resources may influence candidates' ability to reach voters before the August 5 primary
  • The funding patterns reveal connections between candidates and various interest groups, businesses, and organizations
  • The significant disparity in fundraising between leading candidates and longshots (Sheffield's $737,176 versus less than $2,500 for Barlow and Haashiim) indicates varying levels of financial support

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle