Detroit Chamber Inviting 5 Of 9 Detroit Mayoral Candidates To Debate

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 05/09/2025) Five of the bigger named Detroit mayoral candidates are being invited to participate in the debate during the Detroit Chamber's policy conference on Mackinac Island, leaving four candidates without an invitation.

Due to time and space constraints, the Chamber weeded out those candidates with low name ID and no prior elective experience.

This means former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, pastor Solomon Kinloch, City Councilmember Fred Durhal and City Council President Mary Sheffield are in.

Jonathon Barlow, Joel Haashiim, Todd Perkins and Danetta Simpson are out.

A Target Insyght poll released earlier this week has Sheffield at 32%, Kinloch 25%, Craig 19%, Jenkins 7%, Perkins 5%, Durhal 2% and Barlow 1%. Haashiim and Simpson were not named.

The list of invited debate candidates was crafted based on the Detroit Chamber's political action committee's (PAC) analysis of each candidate's fundraising, polling, endorsements, leadership experience and PAC members' perspectives of each candidate.

There was no singular overriding criterion, according to the PAC. The debate will take place 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Grand Hotel's Tea Garden Tent. The debate will be livestreamed on Detroit PBS and can be viewed on the Chamber's website.

Journalists Nolan Finley and Stephen Henderson will serve as moderators.