Oakland University student, professor weigh in Detroit mayoral race 2013

The 2013 Detroit mayoral election between Mike Duggan and Benny Napoleon will be held Nov. 5, 2013. A professor and student weighed in on what they thought of the candidates, the race and how this election could affect the metro Detroit community.

Political science professor John Klemanski believes there are many factors to be considered in this election, regarding the candidates and the general state of the city.

Klemanski’s major fields of study include American politics, urban politics and public administration. He said race is a very important issue in this election.

“It’s not always been directly discussed but race, the race of the two candidates is an issue. You’ve got a white candidate and a black candidate,” Klemanski said.

This racial dimension stems back 20 to 30 years in elections in Detroit, according to Klemanski.

“Even when there were two black candidates, there was always this discussion about who was the real black candidate and who’s the candidate that the white voters prefer,” Klemanski said.

From what he has seen in the campaign so far, Klemanski has a good idea of who is going to win.

“I expect that Duggan will win,” Klemanski said.

Klemanski believes Duggan’s past leadership in the Detroit Medical Center and in other areas gives him an advantage and the voters can see this.

“The reason why Duggan maybe is ahead is because they are looking at those executive qualities, leadership qualities and maybe see more of those qualities in Duggan than Napoleon,” Klemanski said.

Klemanski also sees Duggan as a man who can better reach out to the surrounding metro Detroit areas

“Duggan probably has a bit more credibility with outside suburban governments and those suburbs in general,” Klemanski said.

Whoever the new mayor will be, they will have to learn to adapt, Klemanski said.

“The new mayor is also going to have to deal with doing more with less as we say. Being able to deliver services but not having necessarily the resources available to them that they had in the past,” Klemanski said.

This type of adaptation, according to Klemanski, also means getting along with the city’s emergency financial manager Kevin Orr.

“Try to find some way to work with Kevin Orr so that they have some input in the kinds of decisions he is going to be making over the next year,” Klemanski said.

Klemanski is hopeful for the future of Detroit and sees opportunity in the city for young people.

“There are some bright spots in Detroit that I think people should talk about more and there is some hope for the city,” Klemanski said. “Young people who have graduated from college are innovators they are creative people, they are entrepreneurs.”

Detroit native and Oakland University student Andre Sykes shares this same hope for Detroit and is eager to see what the new mayor will bring.

“I believe that Detroit deserves a good politician and not only a politician, but a man of the people,” Sykes said.

Sykes is an Oakland University Student Council legislator and is also related to former Detroit mayor, Coleman Young.

Sykes has had previous campaign experience with candidate Benny Napoleon. He worked on his and Sharon McPhail’s campaign against Kwame Kilpatrick in 2004.

Though Sykes has had prior personal experience with Napoleon, he sees promise in both candidates.

“Mr. Napoleon, he’s a lot more, I want to say, citizen driven. Mike Duggan, he’s more of the business aspect,” Sykes said.”I believe in both of them, I wouldn’t mind if one wins the other become the lieutenant governor. I believe both could contribute to Detroit.”

Sykes said before the new mayor can reach out to the surrounding metro Detroit areas, the city itself must be addressed and helped first.

“First you have to centralize the city. You have to first focus on revitalizing the city and building a good foundation for renewal to happen,” Sykes said.

Other than stabilizing the economy, Sykes would like the next mayor to take steps in improving education within the city.

“I believe that education should always come first. I would like to see a revitalization of the education system, more qualified teachers,” Sykes said.

Sykes has nothing but pride for his city and believes that one day it will return to it’s former glory.

“I love my city,” Sykes said. “Detroit is like a person, sometimes you have to fall to your knees in order to get back up.”