Justice Democrats backing Thanedar primary challenger

A Michigan state House member has launched a left-wing primary challenge to Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), seeking to oust the two-term House member with the support of the progressive Justice Democrats. 

State Rep. Donavan McKinney (D) specifically called out Thanedar in his announcement video on Monday, depicting him as out of touch with his constituents as a multimillionaire while his district is one of the poorest in the country. 

“People like our congressman, Shri Thanedar, are the problem,” he said. “A multimillionaire who spent millions to buy a seat in Congress, who has more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.” 

Thanedar has defended himself against scrutiny of how he used his $1.9 million congressional budget.

The Detroit News reported earlier this month that receipts showed Thanedar spent $930,000 from his congressional budget on advertisements that promoted himself while facing primary challengers last spring. Thanedar has said the expenses weren’t related to his campaign and were intended to conduct outreach to constituents who needed help from the federal government. 

McKinney accused Thanedar of buying his election, adding that voters deserve a Democratic Party that “leads the fight against the billionaires robbing us blind” and opposes corporate PACs. He mentioned his background, growing up near smokestacks and often moving around as a kid, living in an apartment, family member’s house or car. 

“I’m running for you, because like all of you, I know we deserve better,” he said. “This is my home. This is our community. This is our future.” 

McKinney is the first candidate of the 2026 cycle to receive an endorsement from the Justice Democrats, who support progressive candidates running for offices at all levels of government. 

“We are so proud to announce our first new candidate of the cycle: @DonavanMI13 in #MI13!” the group said in a post on the social platform X. “Donavan represents the future Democrats should be fighting for: working class people taking our power back from multimillionaires to deliver for everyday people. Always with the people.” 

McKinney is the second primary challenger to oppose Thanedar this cycle after former state Sen. Adam Hollier (D) announced earlier this month he would challenge the incumbent. Hollier initially challenged Thanedar in the primary last year but was disqualified from the ballot for not submitting enough valid signatures. 

Thanedar has been a target for progressives since he distanced himself from that wing of the party. A former member of Democratic Socialists of America, he renounced his membership in the group following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack from Hamas on Israel in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and hundreds were taken as hostages into Gaza. 

Thanedar left the group after saying it hadn’t sufficiently denounced Hamas’s attack. 

Thanedar told The Hill in a statement that he’s “proud” that voters in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District voted to elect him in 2022 and 2024. He said voters know his background, growing up in “abject poverty” but being able to lift his family out with a good education, hard work and some luck that enabled him to start a small business. 

“I know firsthand what it’s like to struggle and make ends meet. That’s why I’m passionate about ensuring everyone gets a free education, universal healthcare, and access to skills training to get good-paying jobs,” he said.

“Voters have a choice between my bold, strong and proven leadership, or Hollier’s incompetence, or McKinney’s inexperience,” Thanedar said. “I’m confident that my constituents in Michigan 13 will send me back to Congress again.”