The man behind the biggest online fan page for Mayor Mike Duggan says he hadn’t heard of the Detroit leader a week ago.
Ryan Ash-Miller, whose “Mike Duggan Fan Club” X account is nearing 45,000 followers, lives roughly two hours from Detroit in the small town of Portland, Michigan. The former Democrat – who now describes himself as “politically homeless” – started building his following as a “Yang gang” account boosting 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang.
Ash-Miller transitioned to hosting political conversations with strangers on Spaces, a live chatroom feature on X. He rebranded the account again in January to focus on Duggan after the mayor announced his independent candidacy for Michigan governor a month earlier. The switch immediately meant Duggan was allied with one of the largest Michigan political accounts on X.com.
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Political candidates are learning the value of alliances with social media power users who amassed substantial online followings. Influencers are playing a growing role in disseminating political content, particularly to young voters and niche audiences who don’t engage with mainstream news sources.
The fan club page has nearly as many followers as Duggan’s city-run X account, while Duggan’s personal and campaign accounts barely register in comparison. Duggan’s campaign reached out to Ash-Miller days after the rebrand to explore potential partnerships.
“I never had anybody reach out to me before Duggan’s campaign did,” Ash-Miller said. “A lot of the time I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle alone. I don’t feel that way after the campaign reached out.”
“We are so excited to see this type of reaction to the campaign and the enthusiasm is pouring in,” Duggan’s campaign said in a statement. “The energy from this account reflects the wave of excitement we’re seeing across the state. People are ready for change, ready to do things differently and ready to shake up a system that’s been putting politics above people for far too long.”
Ash-Miller said he’s hoping to host a conversation with Duggan on Spaces. He suggested Duggan visit a bar in his hometown and wants to help organize voter meetups in West Michigan.
Ash-Miller first heard about Duggan through a Detroit contractor who was installing hardwood floors in his house. He didn’t turn to the Detroit News or Free Press for more information, instead searching Duggan’s name on YouTube.
“It amazed me how much YouTube content there was,” Ash-Miller said. “I watched for 14 straight hours.”
‘I’ll reach the fans’
The fan account could have significant benefits for Duggan, providing free advertising as the mayor works to build name recognition outside Detroit. Ash-Miller’s posts generated around 4.2 million impressions in the last three months, though recent posts earned a few hundred impressions.
There are some risks to Duggan too, since the campaign doesn’t have direct oversight of what’s being posted. So far, Ash-Miller has largely shared news articles and posts from Duggan’s social media accounts. He’s open to the campaign suggesting “better stuff to post,” though.
“I’m not really trying to crack into the algorithm,” Ash-Miller said. “I’ll reach the fans.”
Content creators achieved new levels of attention and prominence during the 2024 presidential election. Influencers received credentials to cover both major political party conventions, were offered interviews and gained exclusive access to candidates typically reserved for legacy news institutions. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ campaign visited Detroit to court the favor of local influencers.
News influencers are regularly providing news to one in five Americans and 37% of adults under the age of 30, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center study. Virtually identical shares of Republicans and Democrats say they regularly get news from influencers.
Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans are more likely to get news from influencers. Adults with lower incomes are also more likely to get news from news influencers, according to the study.
Most people who get news from influencers (65%) say it’s helped them better understand current events. News influencers post on X more than any other site, are more likely to be men and serve a primarily male audience.
The study defined a news influencer as someone who regularly posts and has at least 100,000 followers, so Ash-Miller doesn’t qualify. But he’s running one of the largest X accounts focused on Michigan politics, with thousands more followers than the top reporters at the state’s most influential newspapers.
The Duggan fan club page is verified but not monetized. Ash-Miller makes DoorDash deliveries to make cash but doesn’t work full-time due to a disability. He said reporters have been reaching out since rebranding the account.
The world’s richest man spent $44 billion to buy Twitter and rebrand it as X.com. Elon Musk harnessed the platform to support President-elect Donald Trump, boost conservative messages and criticize legacy media organizations.
Ash-Miller said he’s not a fan of Trump or Musk, though he did see some merit in their plan to reduce taxpayer waste with the “Department of Government Efficiency.”
Slightly more news influencers identify as right-leaning than left-leaning, though nearly half say they have no clear political orientation. Most influencers (77%) have no affiliation to a news organization or background in journalism.
Independent streak
Ash-Miller, 36, could represent the kind of voter Duggan’s independent candidacy was designed to inspire. He said the major parties are out of touch with the average person, has a generally positive view of Duggan’s impact on Detroit and is receptive to Duggan’s argument that toxic partisan battles are screwing over Michigan residents.
“(Duggan has) a track record of success,” Ash-Miller said. “He’s levelheaded. He’s not throwing mud at people; he’s proposing things and celebrating good on either side of the aisle … He’s proven he can lower crime (and) can get businesses thriving.”
Ash-Miller ran a December poll on his page that showed many of his engaged followers are independent or third-party voters.
Ash-Miller distanced himself from the Democratic label in 2020 after feeling party leaders disrespected Yang. Ash-Miller said Democrats’ failure to hold a proper primary in 2024 frustrated him greatly. He had backed Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips, who mounted a longshot challenge to President Joe Biden. He thought Harris was an unpopular candidate who had no chance of winning.
“They could care less which way the country goes or if it burns to the ground, so long as they’re in charge,” Ash-Miller said of Democratic Party leaders.
The search for a political home brought Ash-Miller to the Forward Party, founded by Yang, then the Libertarian Party. He was running a fan account for Libertarian presidential nominee Chase Oliver, which brought in tens of thousands of followers, but became discouraged after feeling the party was helping Trump get elected.
Holding conversations on spaces taught Ash-Miller the value of listening. He said posting has given him a sense of purpose and belonging.
The 2026 gubernatorial campaign is in its very early stages. Duggan was the first candidate to formally enter the race, followed this week by Republican state Rep. Aric Nesbitt. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has been talking with voters and dropping hints that she will run for the Democratic nomination.
For now, Ash-Miller said he’s riding with Duggan.
“When it comes to his biggest fan, they probably reside in Detroit,” Ash-Miller said. “I’ve barely known him for a week.”
I came across Mike Duggan on social media.I live in Traverse City.I am like many voters in America who feel our leaders are out of touch with the average person. We need to elect folks who can present a balanced approach to solving problems, and legislate to create opportunity for the majority to have a chance to prosper. There are solutions to be had,we just need the political will to be put forth. Independent third party candidates are becoming more viable,with grass roots support. The fact that Duggan has chosen to go that route speaks for itself.