History has been made in Detroit as City Council President Mary Sheffield has won the Detroit mayoral race, becoming the first-ever woman elected as the city’s mayor.
Sheffield beat her opponent, political newcomer Solomon Kinloch, Jr., the head of Triumph Church.
It’s a groundbreaking moment in Detroit politics, and I talked with some longtime Detroiters and community leaders for their perspective on Sheffield’s victory.
Hear the full speech from Mary Sheffield in the video below
Born and raised in the Motor City, Sheffield was the youngest person ever elected to Detroit City Council at the age of 26, and is now the first female mayor.
“How significant is this victory?” I asked former Detroit City Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel.
“It’s an inflection point, and it’s a huge opportunity,” Cockrel said. “Not only is she the first woman, first Black woman to be mayor of the city, she also represents a generational shift in political leadership.”
Cockrel said this is an opportunity for women to control many of the levers of local government.
“We have a mayor, a city clerk, and a city council that has - may not have a majority of women this time, but has many women on it and has in the past had a majority women. And you have a, an opportunity now to really shape and frame the next four years in the city's history,” she said.
Sheffield’s maternal grandmother, Mary Coty, said even as a child, Sheffield was very sure of herself. Her late mother, Yvonne Lovett, was a nursing professor.
Her dad, the Rev. Horace Sheffield III, instilled the importance of serving others. Her grandfather, Horace Sheffield Jr., was a civil rights titan and labor advocate.
In the past 12 years at city hall, Sheffield has blazed her own path, focusing on revitalizing neighborhoods, inclusionary housing, property tax reform and more.
“I believe she’s qualified. I believe that she will make a fine first woman as mayor,” Coty said.
Adolph Mongo, a prominent political voice in Detroit, did not support Sheffield, but does want her to succeed.
“I hope that she surrounds herself with some smart people. Not people that she likes or people that gave her money -- [but rather] people that know city government,” Mongo said.
“What do you think will be the biggest challenges she will face once in office?” I asked.
“This new administration is going to have to monitor very, very carefully what this destabilized American economy overall means to our regional economy and to the city's economy,” Cockrel said.
“Yes, she's making history, but she's going to do, she's going to have to make some tough decisions,” Mongo said.
Sheffield was endorsed by current Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who helped lead the city out of bankruptcy and into the future.
She garnered many other endorsements and raised more money than Kinloch.
When she comes into office, she’ll be dealing with concerns over potential cuts in social services and healthcare, the much-talked-about food desert in Detroit, the tariff war already impacting the city and the threat of President Donald Trump sending in the National Guard.
She’ll be sworn into office on Jan. 1.
