Kevin Dietz reports on WDIV-TV that Roger Penske donated $500,000 to Mike Duggan's campaign, an amount believed to be a record in a Detroit election.
As Dietz notes, the money went into a Super PAC, which has no limit on contributions. Duggan's Super PAC, Turnaround Detroit, received more than $1,400,000.
Penske's $500,000 came in two parts: $250,00 from him and $250,000 from his company. Compuware founder Peter Karmanos gave $200,000; Al Taubman donated $25,000.
Benny Napoleon's Detroit Forward Super PAC raised $70,000, mostly from unions.
Related coverage: Cash Counts: Duggan Outspends Napoleon By Nearly 2-1
Super PACS are relatively new in Detroit mayoral politics. They have become popular since a Supreme Court ruling in 2010 held that the government can't restrict independent political spending by corporations, associations or unions.
His Super PAC allowed Duggan to run copious amounts of TV advertising, which he needs to help voters understand the mechanics of voting for him as a write-in candidate.
Duggan was kicked off the ballot last month because of a technical violation of filing regulations related to residency.
By contrast, in 1989, Mike Ilitch made headlines when he donated $18,000 to Coleman Young, by far a record at that time.
