Thanedar Ousted in Michigan Primary as McKinney Wins 13th District Seat

State Rep. Donavan McKinney defeated U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar on August 5 in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District Democratic primary, winning 51.9% of the vote to Thanedar’s 48.1% with a 4,200-vote margin out of 112,000 cast. McKinney, a 34-year-old democratic socialist backed by Bernie Sanders and progressive groups, will face Republican T.P. Nykoriak in November in a heavily Democratic district. The race tested whether progressives could unseat an incumbent in a swing state.

Why McKinney won the primary

McKinney ran as a democratic socialist on a platform of Medicare for All, environmental protections through a Green New Deal, ending military aid to Israel, and getting corporate money out of politics. He secured endorsements from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Detroit U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Congressional Black Caucus members including Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, and Summer Lee. McKinney received 51.9% of the vote compared to Thanedar’s 48.1%.

Thanedar’s struggles as incumbent

Thanedar, a wealthy pharmaceutical entrepreneur and Indian immigrant, initially ran as a progressive but broke with the Democratic Socialists of America in 2023 and rebranded around supporting Israel. His campaign reported losing more than $2 million this year from cryptocurrency investments, and he spent hundreds of thousands in taxpayer money on television ads from his office that resembled campaign ads. He introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump in April 2025 without party leadership backing, though he later received endorsement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Detroit’s return to Black representation

McKinney’s victory means Detroit, a majority Black city, will have its first Black representative in Congress since 2022. Thanedar’s 2022 win marked the first time since 1995 that Detroit lacked Black representation in Congress. Voters cited the importance of Black leadership. Michael Fuqua said he voted for McKinney because Thanedar “has no idea what Black people have been dealing with.” McKinney said the race was “about restoring the right leadership” for the city and state.

Path to November and progressive momentum

McKinney will face Republican T.P. Nykoriak in November in a heavily Democratic district where McKinney is the heavy favorite. The race was part of a broader progressive surge in Michigan’s August 5 primary. Progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate nomination, and community organizer Will Lawrence won the 7th Congressional District primary. McKinney’s victory marks the fifth national Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate to win a primary this year.

Final Thoughts

McKinney’s 4,200-vote primary victory over Thanedar signals progressive strength in swing-state Democratic primaries and sets up a heavily favored general election matchup against Republican Nykoriak in a Detroit-based district. The outcome restores Black representation to Congress from Michigan’s largest city.

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