Melissa Nann Burke and Craig Mauger
Apr 16, 2022
Heaster Wheeler, a longtime figure in Detroit politics, left his post as Michigan's assistant secretary of state on April 1 to serve as U.S. House candidate Adam Hollier's campaign manager.
Heaster Wheeler, a longtime figure in Detroit politics, left his post as Michigan's assistant secretary of state on April 1 to serve as U.S. House candidate Adam Hollier's campaign manager.
Hollier is a Democratic state senator from Detroit who is running in Michigan's new 13th U.S. House District.
In an interview, Wheeler, 65, said he's known Hollier, who's 36 years old, since before the lawmaker was in kindergarten. Wheeler previously served in the Detroit Fire Department with Hollier's father.
Wheeler described Hollier as "the next generation" of politics.
"There is something in the heart of a leader that I call the oomph factor," Wheeler said. "You can’t touch it. ... It's hard to measure.
"He is transformational," Wheeler said of Hollier.
There are at least nine Democratic candidates vying for the open 13th District seat representing most of Detroit, the Grosse Pointes and downriver communities. The field includes self-funding state Rep. Shri Thanedar and former state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo.
Wheeler said Hollier's campaign is attempting to build a coalition to make the senator the consensus candidate in the race. Virgie Rollins, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee Black Caucus, is also helping with Hollier's campaign. And the Legacy Committee for Unified Leadership led by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans previously endorsed Hollier.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson appointed Wheeler assistant secretary of state shortly after she was sworn into office in 2019.