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Former Detroit City Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins announces candidacy for mayor

Former City Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins announces bid for mayor
Former City Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins announces bid for mayor 00:55

(CBS DETROIT) - Former Detroit City Councilwoman, who served on the council for four years, announced on Tuesday that she is running for Detroit mayor.

Jenkins made the official announcement at the St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Center in Detroit. She joins City Council President Mary Sheffield, who announced her bid for the city's top position in December.  

Jenkins served on the council from 2010 to 2014, including as president, before she was named CEO of the nonprofit The Heat and Warmth (THAW). The organization aims to help families with heat, electrical and water assistance.

"Detroit is at a crossroads," Jenkins said. "And while there are many people who talk the talk - we need a Mayor who has walked the walk. Detroit, I have walked that walk. I have the experience…I have the strength…I have the grit… to be the Mayor for ALL Detroiters.  That's why I'm so excited to be here with all of you today to announce my candidacy to be the next Mayor of the City of Detroit."

The announcement comes after Mayor Mike Duggan announced he would not seek reelection and would instead launch an independent bid in Michigan's 2026 gubernatorial race. Duggan first took office in January 2014, and the city emerged from its historic bankruptcy in December of that year.  

Jenkins says she will focus on investing in afterschool programs, creating master plans for every district, cracking down on violent crimes, launching youth programs, and providing residents with access to childcare and affordable housing. 

"(We will) create jobs and economic opportunity for every Detroiter, where every neighborhood is safe and thriving – not just downtown, and where we invest in all Detroiters – from cradle to career and beyond," Jenkins said.

The former councilwoman graduated from Cass Tech High School and Wayne State University and worked as an intern and then chief of staff for former Council President Maryann Mahaffey, according to her bio on her website.

In 2020, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.

During an interview with CBS News Detroit in December 2024, Jenkins said she was considering the mayoral position and that the families she encounters through THAW are a large part of why she was running.

"I want to be able to continue to make a difference for Detroiters," she told CBS News Detroit in 2024.

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