Detroit poised to elect its first white mayor since 1974

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-detroit-mayoral-race-20131103,0,5811.story#axzz2jbvPiZSn

Alana Semuels 

For a city with such rich American history, Detroit has seen better days - to say the absolute least. From the heart of the United States' budding automobile industry, due to the likes of Henry Ford, Detroit has now been a city looking to regain their stature. Detroit has been regarded as a "black" city because of the heavy rap and hip-hop influences, powering mobs and gangsters, and the heavy percentage of African-Americans who just simply reside in the heart of Michigan. For the first time since 1974, the city of Detroit is poised to elect a white mayor. The last time their mayor was a white man the Vietnam War was coming to a close. Their last mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, was recently sentenced to up to 28 years in prison for corruption. One can easily argue he has not left the BEST influence on his people. Now that the city is filing for official bankruptcy protection, the new white mayor, Mike Duggan is looking to take over. With a commanding 2-1 lead on his second place candidate, he is surprisingly ahead. But one may ask, "why 'surprisingly'?" The last multiple elections have been solely based on race and/or personal preferences rather than what that candidate brings to the table. People are voting based on the color on the skin of the candidate then the foundation they plan to establish for the city they live. In a city with 82% of its population being African-American, one can see why it is surprising. The city of Detroit, Michigan deeply hopes that Mike Duggan can fill that emphatic hole left by Kilpatrick and revitalize the city and its residents.