Look At All The Republicans, Democrats Who Donated To Duggan

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 07/30/2025) Former Michigan Republican Party Chair Ron Weiser and former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Melvin “Butch” Hollowell did it. Five former Democratic lawmakers and two Republican lawmakers did it, too.

Former Sen. Buzz Thomas, former Sen. Marshall Bullock and former Reps. Brian Banks, Lisa Howze and Keith Stallworth all donated to independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan and the link to former partisan politics doesn't end there. Former Republican Rep. Kurt Heise and former Republican Rep./turned Democratic Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak donated, too.

Six key members of former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's cabinet and inner circle gave to Duggan, as did former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Yang and former Democratic-nominated Justice Conrad Mallett.

Those six key members of the Snyder administration gave to the independent, including former Chief of Staff Dennis Muchmore, former MEDC head Steve Hilfinger, former key advisor Richard Baird, former Treasurer Nick Khouri, former Community Health Director Jim Haveman and former Michigan Agency for Energy Director Valerie Brader.

Former state Superintendent Mike Flanagan gave, too, but he was appointed by the Board of Education and served under both Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Snyder.

We had two current Democratic members of the University of Michigan Board of Regents – Mark Bernstein and Denise Ilitch – and two former Republican members of the U-M Board – Weiser and Andrea Newman – who all gave to Duggan, too.

Current Democratic Michigan State University Trustee Rebecca Bahar-Cook gave to Duggan along with former MSU Trustee Dem Colleen McNamara. They join two former Republican MSU Trustees – Jeff Sakwa and Patrick O'Keefe – and Snyder-appointed former MSU Trustee Nancy Schlichting, whose party affiliation was never nailed down. Wayne State University Governors Anil Kumar and Bryan Barnhill, both nominated by the Democratic Party, gave to him, too.

In terms of reliably Republican donors, we had giving to the mayor – Weiser, JC Huizenga, six members of the Nicholson family of PVS Chemical fame and Roger Penske.

Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer gave $2,500 to the mayor, as did Patrick Devlin, the secretary and treasurer for the Greater Detroit Building Trades Council, and former Democratic Party Treasurer David Mittleman.

Overall, the clearly defined Republicans and Democrats raised roughly $50,000 each, although the Michigan Democratic Party tried to present the lop-sided story, failing to mention that nearly an equal number of Democrats gave to the Duggan campaign. However, the numbers double on the Republican side if you factor in the traditional Republican contributors like the Karamaros who gave to Duggan.

“Mike Duggan’s self-serving vanity campaign is being bankrolled by Trump loyalists and career Republicans who want to drag Michigan backwards,” said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. “It’s clear by this latest report that Duggan is in the pocket of Trump and Republicans and cannot be trusted to stand up for Michigan families.”

Asked to comment on the high number of Republicans and Democrats who gave to his campaign, campaign manager Ed Duggan wrote, "We’re proud to have the support of both Republicans and Democrats who want to fix the system and break the two-party death grip on Lansing. Mike Duggan is building a coalition unlike anything Michigan has seen before: Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and everyone somewhere in between. If you’re fed up with politics as usual, there’s a place for you in our campaign."