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Ralph Godbee: "Representation matters."
Ralph Godbee, a past Detroit police chief, Tuesday ended his bid for the Michigan 13th Congressional District seat -- an effort to avoid hurting Black candidates with a stronger shot, he says.
Godbee lagged in a crowded field of Democrats. A poll last week showed John Conyers III leading with 19 percent support, followed by attorney and former Detroit Councilwoman Sharon McPhail with 9 percent and state Rep. Shri Thanedar with 7 percent. Godbee had 5 percent.
Political observers have said it's possible that Thanedar, an Indian-American entrepreneur, could win August's primary if the African-American vote is split among Black candidates. With Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence of Southfield not running for re-election, it's possible Michigan could be left with no Black representation in Congress in 2023.
The race could offer the best chance of sending a Black representative to Washington. The newly redrawn 13th District covers Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, Harper Woods, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Romulus, Taylor, most other Doiwnriver communities and the southern part of Dearborn Heights.
"Representation matters and for a marginalized community such as African Americans and more pointedly as Black people, we need competent and skillful Black representation in federal legislative seats where it unequivocally matters," Godbee says in a statement. "In an election cycle as truncated as this one is proving to be, I have enough support to split the African American vote or syphon off votes that could be codified behind a consensus candidate.
Godbee, a native Detroiter and ordained minister, has been the chief of staff for Triumph Church since 2020.
“When I announced my candidacy for the 13th District Congressional seat, I did so with the noblest of intentions. Noble intentions must however be paired with a level of maturity to understand whether your presence can add value to a campaign or be divisive,” he says.
He said he hopes others will also consider putting the need to have Black representation above their own ambitions. He plans to endorse a candidate soon.
