Ex-city council president Saunteel Jenkins announces bid for Detroit mayor

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins announced on Tuesday that she is now an exploratory candidate for Detroit mayor.

"I think my entire life has led me to this moment," Jenkins said.

It’s not something she initially aspired to do when she was on city council about a decade ago, she told FOX 2.

"If you had asked me then ‘do you want to run for mayor,’and people did ask, the answer would have been ‘no,’" she said.

But while the Motor City has evolved under Mayor Mike Duggan’s leadership, Jenkins, who lost a brother to gun violence in 1991 on Detroit's west side, says changes are still needed.

"I think he’s done a great job getting us to where we are," she said. "We’re talking about crime, but we need to talk about it more."

The next Detroit mayoral election is in 2025. Duggan has not yet announced whether he will pursue a fourth term.

"My dream is literally that Detroit will once again be the city of dreams," Jenkins said. "My dream is that every neighborhood is thriving, and not just surviving, and parents are able to make ends meet for their kids."

Jenkins left the city council in 2014 to become CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund – an organization providing utility-bill assistance to low-income households.

But in 2020, she faced a major life challenge after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

"It was the most difficult battle that I faced in my life," Jenkins said. "I’m so clear that many people who went through what I went through, they didn’t survive it… It’s my obligation to give everything I can back to this city and this world."

And right now, Jenkins is reaching out to Detroiters to see what issues are most crucial to them.

"We need a mayor who can talk to the grassroots community and the business community because we need all of those things for this city to thrive," she said.

Fox 2 reached out to Duggan's office to ask if he plans to run for reelection.

"Mayor Duggan intends to make an announcement after the November election," according to a statement from his administration. "His focus right now is on making sure VP Harris wins."

Current Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield filed paperwork in August 2023 establishing the "Mary Sheffield for Detroit's Future" committee, but has not officially launched her mayoral campaign.

"I’m confident in Detroiters’ ability to discern who represents the best path forward to prosperity and opportunity for all," Sheffield told FOX 2 in a statement.

Ex-Detroit businessman Joel Haashiim also announced he is running for Detroit mayor in 2025, but has still not created a candidate committee.

Several other politicians and city leaders are suspected to run for the position of Detroit mayor, but no other potential candidates have been confirmed.

If Jenkins decides to run for Detroit mayor, she will formally launch her campaign in the beginning of 2025. But for now, she wants to hear from Detroiters themselves.

"I’m really excited to start this dialogue across the city," Jenkins said.