Wayne County elections 2025: Dearborn mayor faces challenger post viral incident

article

Incumbent Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, left, challenger Nagi Almudhegi.

FOX 2 – Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is not an outsider and desires to maintain his seat on the institution aspect of the poll.

Though a favourite to win re-election, opponent Nagi Almudhegi’s problem comes after a charged interplay between Hammoud and a fellow resident, who went viral.

In September, Dearborn’s mayor sparked a firestorm of controversy after directing his ire at a Christian pastor throughout a metropolis council assembly, calling him “Islamophobic” and bigoted. Ted Barham, a resident, was instructed that if Hammoud ever left city, he would stage a parade, including that he “shouldn’t be welcome right here.”

The feedback went viral on-line and critics expressed shock that town chief would taunt a resident and smear him as a racist. The interplay, which pitted a Muslim Arab-American mayor towards a Christian minister, turned a flashpoint and was lined by the media.

Learn extra: Dearborn mayor points clarification, does not apologize to resident he referred to as racist

Hammoud, 35, refused to apologize on the subsequent assembly and blamed the media for sensationalizing the incident, claiming outdoors forces had been attempting to divide town.

“The thought of ​​coexistence strikes the worry of so many {that a} metropolis like Dearborn might succeed,” Hammoud mentioned not too long ago in a marketing campaign video. “That’s the Dearborn promise: a metropolis that welcomes all and shuns hatred and bigotry.

“There’s an ethics to disagreement, and it’s based mostly on respect and tolerance. There isn’t a room or place for private assaults.”

Almudhegi, 51, is an IT engineer who capitalized on the second with social media advertisements, whereas spreading the message that he was a political outsider with an emphasis on public security and monetary duty.

The son of Yemeni immigrants, he has by no means held an elective place however has campaigned for personal sector options that he believes he can implement as mayor.

Hammoud, a former Democratic state consultant and son of Lebanese immigrants, was elected at age 31 in a watershed second for town in 2021.

Dearborn, which has a big Center Japanese inhabitants base estimated at roughly half the inhabitants, celebrated the breakthrough in electing a candidate of colour in a metropolis with a racially divisive historical past.

Whereas enterprise improvement is underway on the West Facet, Hammoud has additionally labored to stability deal with neighborhoods, main stormwater initiatives to alleviate and tackle flooding considerations, particularly on the South and East Sides, which had been hit exhausting earlier than his 2021 election.

He has additionally been praised for elevated velocity enforcement within the metropolis, with velocity bumps and extra police patrols. Almudhegi has attacked the federal government for not doing sufficient.

“Greater than 90 % of the individuals I speak to say reckless driving is uncontrolled,” Almudhegi mentioned in a marketing campaign video. “If you’re a reckless driver in Dearborn, you are feeling the complete brunt of the regulation, we have to get stricter.”

As reckless driving continues to plague town, Almudhegi has mentioned extra police are wanted and offenders will be simply launched. If elected, he desires to place an finish to all advocacy about security, his “#1 precedence.”

“My opponent is a profession politician and he talks easily,” he mentioned. “In actuality, most of them are superficial people who find themselves managed by their rich donors.”

Different cities in Wayne County that even have mayoral races:

Dearborn Heights

With Invoice Bazzi stepping down after being confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Tunisia, Council President Mo Baydoun is the type of incumbent mayor to be sworn on this month.

Baydoun, who served as council president, faces challenger and councilwoman Denise Malinowski Maxwell, one other identify acquainted to voters.

Flat rock

Steven Bellert and Jesse Cowell are working for an open seat, whereas present Mayor Mark Hammond is selecting to not run for re-election.

Beller is a present metropolis council member and is working towards political outsider Cowell.

Metropolis of Grosse Pointe

Former Mayor Christopher Boettcher is difficult incumbent Mayor Sheila Tomkowiak – in a rematch from 2019 when she dethroned him.

Grosse Pointe Farms

The battle within the Farms is between fellow council members John J. Gillooly and Joe Ricci.

Hamtramck

The seat is up for grabs, with Mayor Amer Ghalib being President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Kuwait. Though his appointment remains to be in limbo within the affirmation course of, residents could have their say in changing him.

Councilor Muhith Mahmood faces engineer Adam Alharbi, who’s working for elected workplace for the primary time.

Taylor

Incumbent Tim Wooley is working for his second time period towards challenger and former council member Herman “Butch” Ramik.

No opposition: Gibraltar, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Woods, Harper Woods, Metropolis of Northville, Rockwood, Romulus, Southgate and Westland are all unopposed.

For a complete list of Wayne County candidate races CLICK HERE

Macomb County mayoral races

Mountain Clemens

Incumbent Laura Kropp faces a challenger for the primary time in Rhonda Powell. Powell is a former Macomb County government who was fired and filed a whistleblower lawsuit that was settled in 2024.

New Baltimore

Incumbent Tom Semaan faces challenger Ryan Covert, a metropolis council member.

Sterling heights

Longtime incumbent Michael Taylor faces challenger Matthew Ryan.

There’s one unopposed race in Roseville.

For a complete list of candidate races in Macomb County CLICK HERE.