DETROIT – In a development reflecting how worried the Democratic Party establishment is about Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s run for Michigan governor, the state party has moved to punish all Democratic officials who endorsed his independent campaign by cutting off their access to the party’s voter database.

The punitive measure — confirmed by Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel — affected a wide range of municipal, school board and university officials who endorsed Duggan at a Detroit campaign rally earlier in August. Among them is Mo Baydoun, president of the Dearborn Heights City Council and mayoral candidate in the November election.

Why Dugan worries Democrats

Duggan’s campaign poses a direct threat to Democratic chances of retaining the governor’s office in 2026, thanks to his strong ties with wealthy donors, broad appeal among voters and his record as a successful Detroit mayor in the party’s traditional stronghold.

Last year, Duggan chose not to renew his Democratic Party membership and launched an independent gubernatorial bid to succeed term-limited Governor Whitmer, who cannot run again due to Michigan’s constitutional two-term limit.

With his campaign gathering momentum ahead of the November 2026 general election, where he will face the Democratic and Republican nominees, the party recently decided to block Duggan supporters from accessing VAN (Voter Activation Network) — the software containing detailed statewide voter data used for door-knocking, phone banking and mail campaigns.

Fallout from the move

The crackdown came shortly after Duggan’s campaign announced endorsements from more than 200 current and former elected officials. The party quickly issued an internal directive restricting everyone on the endorsement list from accessing VAN.

One of them, Mo Baydoun, gave a speech at Duggan’s August 19 rally — only to discover the next day that his access to the voter database had been revoked.

Hussein Dabaja, senior advisor to Baydoun’s mayoral campaign, blasted the move as “immature”, noting that other private firms provide similar services. Dabaja praised Dugan’s ability to unite both Republicans and Democrats under his campaign banner.

Still, Adrian Hemond, a veteran Democratic strategist in Michigan, told the Detroit News that obtaining comparable voter data outside the party will “undoubtedly be more expensive for candidates.”

Party chair’s rebuke

The party did not stop at cutting off access. Hertel also launched a harsh attack on Duggan, accusing him of “cozying up to pro-Trump, anti-labor big donors who only want to drag Michigan backward at the expense of those who lost health care and collective bargaining rights.”

“We will continue to hold him accountable,” Hertel said in a statement. “We will show the people of Michigan that Mike Duggan cannot be trusted.” He denounced Duggan’s reliance on Republican donors, though the mayor’s contributor list also includes many traditional Democratic funders.

Hertel warned Democratic elected officials who backed Duggan — and who will face reelection in the future,

“I look forward to their independent campaigns,” he said.

Who’s on the punished list?

In addition to Baydoun, the list of disciplined Democrats includes:

• Mark Bernstein and Denise Ilitch of the University of Michigan Board of Regents

• Bryan Barnhill and Anil Kumar of Wayne State University’s Board of Governors

• Rebecca Bahar-Cook of Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees

• About 50 mayors from across Michigan

• Roughly 100 current and former city council members

• More than two dozen school board trustees across Metro Detroit districts

Duggan pushes back

Duggan said he was not surprised by the Democratic Party’s decision to restrict VAN access.

“This is today’s Democratic Party in Michigan: either fall in line or face punishment,” he said.

He accused party leaders of fighting “anyone who thinks independently”, calling the exclusionary approach a key reason why the party’s image has “fallen to historic lows.”

The 2026 field

So far, the Democratic field for governor includes:

• Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson

• Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist

• Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson

• Former Cape Coral, Florida, Mayor Marni Sawicki

On the Republican side, seven contenders are lining up:

• U.S. Rep. John James

• State Senate GOP Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt

• Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox

• Former State House Speaker Tom Leonard

• Plus three lesser-known Genesee County residents.

If Duggan collects the required valid petition signatures, he will face the Democratic and Republican nominees — and other third-party candidates — in the November 4, 2026 general election.