House Democrats are set to elect a new leader Dec. 12.

Current House Minority Leader Kwame Kilpatrick will become the next mayor of Detroit on Jan. 1, initiating the need to elect a new leader.

“On Dec. 12, there will be a closed caucus, nominations will be made, and a vote will be taken,” said Alan Canady, chief of staff for Kilpatrick.

Canady said some members of the caucus have indicated they would be interested in holding the election sooner, but legislators will not return to session from Thanksgiving recess until Nov. 27.

“There is some sentiment in the caucus to move it up, but as of today, that has not been done,” he said.

Candidates to replace Kilpatrick include Julie Dennis of Muskegon, Jack Minore of Flint, Nancy Quarles of Southfield, Joseph Rivet of Bay City and Samuel “Buzz” Thomas of Detroit.

“(Kilpatrick) has not endorsed anyone,” Canady said. “He feels each has their own quality and any one would make a good leader.

“It should be understood that Kwame left the caucus in a good position. The new leader coming in will be handed a caucus in good shape financially, policywise and ready for the campaign.”

State Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, said she hasn’t committed support to any of the candidates.

“This is a unique time in Michigan history,” she said. “We are in a recession and no one in the House has been here longer than five years, so no one has been through a recession.

“There will be challenges for the next leader, as well as the upcoming election.”

The minority leader plays an important role during election seasons. The next House elections are in 2002.

“They are legitimately looking at 57 seats in the House that we should be preparing for in the election cycle,” Whitmer said. “That is quite a task.”

She said the Democrats, who hold 52 seats compared to 58 Republican seats, will need someone who can continue to build bipartisan ties - following in Kilpatrick’s footsteps.

“I think Kwame has set a standard of someone that is energetic and charismatic, someone that can articulate the Democratic message, but has the ability to work with people on the other side of the issue,” she said. “Those are the most important things that we should be looking at right now.”

Republican lawmakers, such as House Majority Floor Leader Bruce Patterson of Canton, won’t publicly lend support to any Democratic candidates either.

“I hope that the Democrats will continue Rep. Kilpatrick’s spirit of bipartisanship in working with the House,” said Mike Murray, a Patterson spokesman. “Hopefully their new leader will follow in that path.

“We have had a good working relationship in the past, and we hope that continues.”