Progressive state Rep. Donavan McKinney ousts incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan primary 

Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit) has defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) in the state’s 13th Congressional District Democratic primary. 

Decision Desk HQ projected McKinney the winner at 10:12 a.m. EST on Wednesday, 14 hours after the polls closed. With 99% of the vote counted, McKinney garnered 57,714 votes (51.9%) and Thanedar had 53,494 (48.1%).

The race highlighted divisions within the Democratic party, pitting an incumbent millionaire against a working-class community organizer backed by national progressives.

Thanedar, an entrepreneur and former state representative who was first elected to Congress in 2022, ran on his record of delivering federal funding to Detroit and supporting small businesses. Pro-Israel PACs and House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), supported Thanedar’s candidacy.

Thanedar’s tenure has faced scrutiny from progressive groups. Critics targeted his crypto investments, support for Israel and his departure from the Democratic Socialists of America in 2023.

McKinney, a Detroit native raised in a working-class household, campaigned as a progressive. A state lawmaker and former organizer for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) EIU Healthcare Michigan, McKinney built his campaign around corporate accountability.

“We deserve a Democratic Party that leads the fight against the billionaires robbing us blind,” McKinney said during his campaign kickoff last year.

The 34-year-old has also advocated for utility rate caps in the state legislature, and he supports a ballot initiative that would ban Michigan’s utility companies from donating to political candidates.

McKinney assembled a coalition of progressive heavyweights, earning endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the Working Families Party and Justice Democrats. The primary also highlighted deep foreign policy rifts among Democrats, particularly regarding the U.S. response to Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip. Thanedar has continued to advocate for and vote to send aid to Israel during the conflict, while McKinney supports ending military aid to Israel.

The outcome sets the stage for the November general election, where McKinney is widely expected to hold the seat in this solid Blue district.