Detroit City Council District 6 Race: Santiago-Romero, Carter Split On Corporate Influence

June 26, 2025

In a candidate forum for Detroit's District 6 city council race, incumbent Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero faced off against state Rep. Tyrone Carter and write-in candidate Anita Martin. While the candidates largely agree on issues like environmental racism and immigration enforcement, they differ significantly on campaign finance, with Santiago-Romero refusing corporate PAC money while Carter defends accepting corporate donations.

Who is affected

District 6 voters in Detroit
Residents in Southwest Detroit, Corktown, downtown, Midtown, and Woodbridge neighborhoods
Hispanic community members (represented by Santiago-Romero as the lone Hispanic council member)
Non-citizens potentially impacted by immigration enforcement policies

What action is being taken

Candidates are participating in forums to address District 6 voters
Santiago-Romero is refusing corporate PAC money while still working with corporations
Carter is accepting corporate donations while maintaining he holds those corporations accountable
Both candidates are campaigning on issues including environmental racism and immigration enforcement
Write-in candidate Anita Martin is participating in the electoral process

Why it matters

The race represents a contrast in political philosophies regarding corporate influence in politics
The candidates have different approaches to campaign finance and corporate relationships
The district includes diverse neighborhoods from Southwest Detroit to Midtown with varying needs
The outcome affects representation for the Hispanic community, as Santiago-Romero is the only Hispanic member on council
The election will determine who represents one of Detroit's poorest districts

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle