Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield had a historic win on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to be elected Mayor of Detroit. In this episode of MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben are joined by BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett and Detroit One Million founder Sam Robinson to discuss how Sheffield might govern in her new role.

In this episode:

• What makes Sheffield’s win so significant?
• What does Sheffield’s trajectory look like?

Historic win

Not only is Sheffield the first woman to become mayor for the city of Detroit, but she had record turnout in comparison to her predecessor.

“Duggan is talked about as this electoral juggernaut, especially in his re-election campaigns. He never had above 75% or even hit 75,000 votes,” Barrett said. “Sheffield had both.”

Barrett also said Sheffield was more present in the community and had better relationships than her opponent, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr.

Sheffield’s trajectory

From here, Sheffield’s career could go in many different directions. But according to Robinson, Detroit is the main focus for the young politician.

He recounted stories from her election night afterparty and says he believes she aspires to be a candidate like former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young. Robinson also said that her representation as an African American woman has inspired a lot of people.

Update: Just hours after this segment aired, the Michigan Senate passed a measure that would put $71 million toward food assistance. Supporters say it wouldn’t take effect by Nov. 1 or cover all SNAP benefits, but it would help food banks bridge the gap in the meantime. The measure still needs approval from the House. (Reporting by Colin Jackson, MPRN)

The federal shutdown has migrated from Washington to the dinner tables of Michigan families.

The federal shutdown began October 1, after Congress failed to pass a new budget to fund government operations. The stalemate centers on disputes over spending levels and policy riders, including aid to Ukraine and domestic program cuts. In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned states that November SNAP benefits may be delayed. If nothing changes, families could find no new funds on their EBT cards when the month begins.

In Michigan, roughly 1.4 million people—about one in seven residents— rely on the aid once known as food stamps to help cover groceries.

State leaders are scrambling. 

In Lansing, Democrats are drafting a short-term plan: one option would front limited state dollars to keep benefits flowing or to bolster food banks until Congress and the White House break the stalemate. 

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks is at the center of that push, pressing federal officials to move faster even as the USDA says it won’t tap contingency funds for November. 

She is pointing blame at Republicans because they control Congress, calling this impending crisis “a weaponization of hunger.”

In a conversation with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent, Brinks discussed Michigan’s next steps, and the need for federal action to keep dinner on the table.

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