Detroit mayoral race campaign finances shape up ahead of August primary

Yahoo

26-07-2025

Editor's note: This story is developing as candidates submit their reports.
Entering the critical two-week stretch before the August primary, Detroit mayoral candidates began pouring in their campaign finances reports to hit the July 25 deadline, with at least one contender hitting the $1 million mark.
Campaign finance reports show how much a candidate has raised in a specific time period, who is funding their campaigns and how the candidate is spend the money. Reports ahead of the Aug. 5 primary election were due for campaign fundraising from January through July. And the leader is Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, who launched her campaign committee two years before the election, and reported raising a total of $1.1 million.
Here is what the candidates have reported this period, so far:
More: None of the Detroit mayoral candidates would show me the money. But I found plenty anyway.
Mary Sheffield
Amount raised: $737,176.95
Ending balance: $451,478.85
Sheffield has raised the highest amount thus far, brining her campaign total to $1,198,539.12 since the last reporting period in December. Her top donors include: $30,000 from the Deldin Law PAC; $20,000 each from the SEIU Local 1, Michigan Political Education and the MI Regional Council of Carpenters PAC; $10,000 each from Rock Holdings Inc. State PAC and the Miller Canfield PAC; numerous donations above $8,000 from The Elia Group, Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem; and thousands more from construction contractors, real estate and development companies.
She spent much of her funds on various general campaign expenses, including consulting fees, mailings, staff wages and more. Sheffield also reported spending at least $1,261 on United Airlines travel to Chicago, along with a hotel for a fundraiser hosted by elected officials and local leaders, according to the campaign.
'I am deeply humbled by the widespread and growing support our campaign continues to receive. Every day, a broad cross-section of Detroiters — longtime residents, new neighbors, small businesses, major employers and people who simply love this city — are choosing to invest in our vision for a Detroit where we all can rise together," Sheffield said in a statement. "This campaign has always been rooted in the belief that we can go further and achieve more when we do it together — and together, we will."
Solomon Kinloch
Amount raised: $407,548.81
Ending balance: $55,976.70
The Triumph Church pastor spent $351,572.11 on various items, including administrative fees, campaign literature, office rent and supplies, meeting expenses, consulting, website development and software.
More: Detroit mayoral candidate, who assaulted his wife in 1993, says he learned from mistake
Saunteel Jenkins
Amount raised: $400,961
Ending balance: $49,949.64
Jenkins had a total of $517,670 since her last filing in December, spending $467,721 this period. Some of her top donors dropped the max individual donation of $8,325 each, including executives from Fairlane Construction, and J and T Nationwide Recovery. Jenkins also received thousands of dollars from executives at JACK Entertainment, The Platform real estate company, the Kresge Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield and JPMorgan Chase.
Jenkins expended funds on billboards and advertisements, staff wages, legal and consulting fees, campaign materials, a public relations firm, mailers and more.
"Across the city, at every forum, block club meeting and public space, we find voters are increasingly convinced that Saunteel Jenkins is the best choice to lead the city. Both the number of volunteers and the amount of financial support increase with each passing day, giving the campaign the sustained ability to reach voters in critical areas," according to a campaign statement.
Todd Perkins
Amount raised: $219,425.60
Ending balance: $82
Perkins spent $199,704, raking in thousands of dollars from medical executives and dozens of attorneys in and around the Detroit area, and a marketing executive at Meta. Perkins spent his funds on media and advertisements, consulting, campaign materials, office space and more.
James Craig
Amount raised: $23,060.34
Ending balance: $2,928.43
Craig had a total of $23,060 and spent $20,131 this period. His top individual donor was Ron Weiser, who founded real estate company McKinley and formerly chaired the Michigan Republican Party, dropped $8,325, the individual maximum. Craig also pulled in executives from Corrigan Oil and Verita Telecommunications to donate at least $1,000 each to his campaign, as well as getting several retired individuals to pitch in.
Jonathan Barlow
Amount raised: $2,485
Ending balance: $323.30
Barlow spent $2,164.70 on rentals for an event hall, entertainment, food and beverages, as well as campaign materials.
Joel Haashiim
Amount raised: $1,070
Ending balance: $1,100
Haashiim had a total of $17,570 and spent $16,470 on administrative fees, website development, campaign materials and advertisements.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: [e-mail]. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit mayoral candidates submit campaign finances
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