Detroit Evening Report: Warren Evans shares why he voted ‘uncommitted’ in Michigan’s primary

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” podcast.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans is warning Democratic Party leaders not to take Black voters for granted this year.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Evans joined WDET’s The Metro on Monday to talk about the party’s failure to give Black elected officials a seat at the table and, therefore, its difficulty connecting with the African American voting bloc.

He says apathy is a threat to President Biden’s re-election bid and state party leaders need to do a better job of engaging the Black community.

“Ive been in this job for 10 years. I have never had a relationship of any significance with the Michigan Democratic Party,” Evans said. “I think that’s problematic. I thought it was problematic as it related to me and then I talked to the Black mayors and they say ‘you know we’re in the same boat.’”

In a recent Detroit Free Press op-ed, Evans wrote that he voted “uncommitted” in Michigan’s primary election for the very first time due to the Democratic Party’s inability to “sufficiently and productively engage with Black people in this state.”

“I have seen and experienced more than most when it comes to local politics and how things work,” the longtime Democrat said. “One thing I can say for certain that hasn’t changed is how much the Michigan Democratic Party continues to take its Black residents for granted.”

Evans will deliver his State of the County address at 7 p.m. tonight at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Other headlines for Tuesday, March 12, 2024:

  • Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood may soon get a Solar Training House through the nonprofit Community Treehouse Center Detroit.
  • Huron-Clinton Metroparks is expanding its equity education efforts throughout metro Detroit through its Metroparks & Me initiative.
  • La Jalisciense in Detroit is marking its 10th anniversary with the announcement of two new locations in Detroit and Taylor within the next year.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

Author

  • Sascha Raiyn
    Sascha Raiyn is Education Reporter at 101.9 WDET. She is a native Detroiter who grew up listening to news and music programming on Detroit Public Radio.