Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in a heated Democratic primary for the state’s 13th Congressional District on August 4, 2026, with the race centered on Black representation in a majority-Black city that hasn’t had a Black member of Congress since 1955.
McKinney, who has won endorsements from progressive figures including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and the Democratic Socialists of America, is framing his challenge as a bid to restore Black representation to Detroit after Thanedar’s 2022 election ended a streak of Black congressional representation spanning more than seven decades.
“For the Blackest major city in all America to be without Black representation, that says something,” McKinney said, according to reporting from The Detroit News. “And so for a lot of people in our district, that is top of mind. They want to see it returned, and they want to see us fulfill the legacy and carry on the torch.”
On July 27, the race took a significant turn when multiple Congressional Black Caucus members broke with House Democratic leadership to endorse McKinney. Reps. Steven Horsford of Nevada (the former CBC chair), Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Lateefah Simon of California all called for McKinney’s election, an unusual move in which sitting members of Congress endorse against one another in the same party.
Pressley said McKinney has “never lost sight of the people,” while Omar praised him as “the only trusted candidate” in the race. Horsford and Simon called McKinney a “fighter,” according to Politico’s reporting. “We need Donavan in Congress,” Pressley said.
Thanedar, who was elected in 2022 after winning a nine-way primary that split the Black vote among multiple candidates, retains backing from House Democratic leaders including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with endorsements from other CBC members such as Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. The Indian-American incumbent has also received substantial financial support, including at least $232,000 in donations bundled by the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Thanedar has argued that his personal story—immigrating from poverty in India and building a successful business career—mirrors Detroit’s resilience. “I am fully aware that I am representing the Blackest city in America and I’m proud of it,” he told Politico. “My story is like Detroit’s story — I struggled through poverty, never say die, never gave up and I have that resilience that Detroit has.”
He also emphasized his record on issues affecting Black voters, pointing to his defense of the Voting Rights Act and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. “I respect their bylaws,” Thanedar said of the Congressional Black Caucus, which has not extended him membership, “but I work with members of the Congressional Black Caucus all the time.”
The Establishment vs. Progressive Divide
The primary reflects the ongoing ideological clash between the Democratic establishment and its progressive wing. McKinney, a former health care union organizer who was elected to the state House in 2022, has built his campaign on challenging corporate influence in politics. He has introduced legislation in Michigan to ban dominant electric utilities from donating to political leaders, a move that resonates with progressive voters.
However, political consultant Mario Morrow told The Detroit News that the race favors Thanedar, noting that the 13th District includes more moderate areas such as the Grosse Pointes and higher-income Detroit neighborhoods, which typically vote in Democratic primaries. “It’s this big, great political divide within the Democratic Party,” Morrow said. “And right now I think that favors Shri, because I believe in the 13th there are more moderate Democrats than there are socialist democrats.”
The funding gap is stark. Thanedar entered the final weeks of the campaign with $4.7 million to spend, having loaned his campaign more than $2 million this year alone. McKinney reported about $264,000 in his campaign fund as of June 30. “I can’t outraise him; I can’t outspend him,” McKinney said, according to The Detroit News. “But what we can do is out-organize him, out-hustle him, and out-love him, and let people know that we’re willing to show up for them and fight for them.”
Despite McKinney’s disadvantage in funding, political observers note that the race has tightened compared to Thanedar’s previous primary victories. In 2022, Thanedar won a nine-way primary in which the Black vote was split among multiple candidates. This year, with just two candidates, the outcome is less certain, according to former Michigan state House Speaker Joe Tate.
The winner of the primary will likely win the November general election, as the heavily Democratic district has not supported a Republican in recent cycles.
Sources
- Politico — Congressional Black Caucus endorsements of McKinney, quotes from Pressley, Omar, Horsford, Simon, and Thanedar’s response
- The Detroit News — Black representation as central issue, funding data, candidate quotes, district demographics, and analysis from political consultant Mario Morrow
- Axios — House Democrat reactions to the race, characterization of Thanedar’s political standing among colleagues
- Ballotpedia — Primary date and candidate confirmation
