Kilpatrick’s time as an elected official began with the exuberance and energy of a young man who believed he was destined to become mayor.
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The ambitious Cass Tech graduate had a knack for connecting with people. He elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1996 after his mother, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, vacated the seat for a position in Congress, representing Michigan’s 13th District. In 1998, Kwame Kilpatrick was elected minority floor leader for the Michigan Democratic Party.
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He launched his bid for mayor in 2001 on the porch of his mother’s home. At 31, Kilpatrick became the youngest mayor of Detroit when elected.