In the end, the crusty mayor-elect Mike Duggan, who has been part of the local political landscape for a long time, relied on a 27-year-old who had never been a campaign manager before.
Detroit News reporter Darren A. Nichols reports that Duggan turned to Bryan Barnill II to be his campaign manager, a native Detroiter and Harvard grad.
In a front-page profile, Nichols writes:
For months, Bryan Barnhill II worked mostly behind the scenes, earned the respect of older colleagues and helped to execute critical campaign decisions, according to political experts and campaign insiders.
The success of the campaign’s unconventional tactics made Tuesday’s win over Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon a quiet victory for Barnhill, considered an up-and-comer on Detroit’s political scene.
“He ran a very efficient campaign,” political analyst Steve Hood said. “The sky’s the limit. I fully expect him to be involved in the next presidential campaign or congressional campaign, if he so chooses.” -- A.L.
