Duggan, of course, isn’t the only quasi-candidate getting a fair amount of free ink, though he’s certainly received the most. Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleonmade a big splash, but mostly for a stumble coming out of the gate when he took a thinly veiled swipe at Duggan by declaring that Palmer Woods isn’t really Detroit.

And then there’s Krystal Crittendon, the controversial former corporate counsel for Detroit. She recently lost her job after a majority of City Council suddenly reversed course and sided with Mayor Dave Bingand ordered her removal. Bing, by the way, may not seek re-election. Others will emerge. Tom Barrow, for example, hasn’t stopped his grassroots campaigning since losing to Bing last time out.

As for Howze, while those all around her are benefiting from barrels-full of free ink, she’s resorting to buying an ad that will air during the Super Bowl in an attempt to give her candidacy a boost.

In the end, as Howze told us recently, it’s still going to be up to the people of Detroit to determine who their next mayor will be.

But the city’s power brokers are already hard at work trying their best to influence that decision.

> Email Curt Guyette