Thanedar gets second primary challenger as state Rep. Donavan McKinney launches U.S. House campaign
State Rep. Donavan McKinney says his residents have been severely impacted by power outages and poor energy reliability at an Aug. 10, 2023 event centered on climate and energy policy. | Kyle Davidson
State Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit) announced Monday that he would mount a challenge to U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) in the Democratic primary for Michigan's 13th Congressional District.
McKinney, who noted that the 11th state House District he currently represents is one of the poorest in Michigan while the 13th Congressional District is among the poorest in the nation, said that he would bring working class representation to residents.
'I was born next to smokestacks. We moved 13 times as a kid. Sometimes it was an apartment, sometimes it was a family member's house. Sometimes it was even our own car. But wherever it was, my mom and grandma made sure it felt like home. I spent my life trying to get back to help the place and people I love. I've never forgotten my roots, or the true purpose of why I serve; to always put the people first,' McKinney said in his campaign launch video, adding that Thanedar has 'more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.'
Thanedar, who spent $10 million of his own funds seeking the governor's seat in 2018, served one term in the Michigan Legislature from 2021 through the end of 2022. He was elected to Congress for the first time that year, winning reelection in 2024.
'I bring the lived realities of the people of this district, lived realities that multimillionaires have no understanding of,' McKinney told the Michigan Advance ahead of his campaign's launch. 'I know our community's struggles because I've lived them — and that's why I understand just how urgent delivering monumental solutions to their monumental problems are.'
He said he would focus on economic security, environmental justice, education, public transportation, workers' rights and more.
McKinney isn't the first state lawmaker to launch a primary challenge against Thanedar. He joins a race that also features former state Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit).
'I think the fact that there are multiple candidates in this race already just makes it crystal clear how fed up our community is with Shri, and how excited they are for representation that truly fights for us in Washington as hard as I have been fighting for us in Lansing,' McKinney said. 'I'm running because our community has been calling me over and over to stand up and fight for them in DC, and they want a fresh, new voice leading the biggest, baddest coalition to deliver for this community and that's exactly what we're going to do.'
Thanedar has defended his constituent service record while in Congress, previously telling the Advance that since his election, his office has solved over 2,800 constituent cases, recovered nearly $3 million for constituents, received approval for $30 million in community projects, and sponsored and cosponsored 810 different bills.
'We have world class constituent communication, including a record 11 in-person town halls,' Thanedar said.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Since the retirement of former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Southfield) in 2022, neither of the two congressional districts that encompass Detroit have had a Black representative, an issue considered to be critical by leaders in the predominantly Black city. Both McKinney and Hollier are Black.
Detroit elected its first Black U.S. representative, Charles Diggs Jr., in 1954, and consistently elected a Black representative up until 2022, when voters elected Thanedar, who immigrated from India, alongside Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), who is Palestinian American, to Michigan's 12th Congressional District.
When asked what resources he plans to bring to a race against Thanedar, who he called 'Detroit's own Elon Musk,' McKinney told the Advance he was supported by an 'incredible coalition of elected officials, faith leaders, labor, community members, and more' and he was excited to grow that coalition between now and 2026.
'I'm not running because I'm a millionaire. I'm running because I'm not. I'm running because our community deserves to be able to sleep at night knowing they have a Representative in Congress who truly knows their struggles and truly fights for them every single day,' McKinney said.
McKinney's campaign claimed the endorsement of a dozen Democratic state legislators on day one, including state Sens. Darrin Camilleri, Stephanie Chang, Veronica Klinefelt and Paul Wojno, and state Reps. Stephanie Young, Erin Byrnes, Kimberly Edwards, Alabas Farhat, Peter Herzberg, Tullio Liberati, Tonya Myers-Phillips and Veronica Paiz.
McKinney plans to hold an official campaign launch event Monday evening at SAY Detroit Play at the Lipke Community Center in Detroit.
Michigan Advance Editor Jon King contributed to this story.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Israel attacks Yemeni port city, Houthi rebels say
Late Monday, Israel issued online warnings to Yemenis to evacuate from Ras Isa, Hodeida and al-Salif ports over what it alleged was 'the Houthi regime's use of seaports for its terrorist activities.' Hodeida also is the main entry point for food and other humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis since the war began when the Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The Houthis have been launching persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive in Gaza. Advertisement From November 2023 until January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. The Houthis paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the U.S. launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. Trump paused those attacks just before his trip to the Mideast, saying the rebels had 'capitulated' to American demands. Advertisement Early Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote on the social platform X that U.S. Navy ships had traveled through the Red Sea and its Bab el-Mandeb Strait 'multiple times in recent days' without facing Houthi attacks. 'These transits occurred without challenge and demonstrate the success of both Operation ROUGH RIDER and the President's Peace Through Strength agenda,' Hegseth wrote ahead of facing Congress for the first time since sharing sensitive military details of America's military campaign against the Houthis in a Signal chat. Meanwhile, a wider, decadelong war in Yemen between the Houthis and the country's exiled government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, remains in a stalemate.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
113 House Democrats vote against GOP resolution denouncing the antisemitic terrorist attack in Colorado
More than 100 House Democrats voted against a Republican-led resolution condemning the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder and Colorado's sanctuary state laws on Monday. The resolution, introduced by Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), cleared the lower chamber in a 280-113 vote, with 75 Democrats joining Republicans to pass the measure. Democrats fumed over language in the resolution expressing 'gratitude to law enforcement, including US Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.' 3 House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks with reporters about the spending and tax bill embraced by President Donald Trump and Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, June 6, 2025. AP The National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP's campaign arm, charged that Democrats voting against the bill 'sided with terrorists over police officers and flat-out refused to condemn antisemitism.' 'Democrats have become the pro-terrorist, anti-cop, antisemitic caucus. And they're proud of it,' the NRCC wrote on X. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) slammed Evans as a 'joke' ahead of the vote. 'Who is this guy? He's not seriously concerned with combating antisemitism in America. This is not a serious effort,' Jeffries told reporters. 'Antisemitism is a scourge on America. It shouldn't be weaponized politically.' Evans shot back that the 'wildly offensive sentiment' expressed by Jeffries is 'why antisemitism persists.' 3 This image provided by the Boulder Police Dept. shows Mohamed Sabry Soliman. AP 'The Left is unserious about finding real solutions,' the congressman argued on X. 'Condemning terrorism is not a joking matter.' Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who is Jewish and voted no on the resolution, argued on the House floor that the measure was being put forward to simply 'score political points.' 'You weren't here, Mr. Evans, last term, but there were about 10 antisemitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing solely to score political points,' Goldman said. 'We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns.' 3 Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, speaks to reporters during a news conference on the steps of the Colorado Capitol in Denver on Thursday, May 29, 2025. In his floor speech, Evans stated: 'As a former police officer and Army veteran of the Global War on Terror, I know how Colorado's radical leftists leaders and laws prioritize illegal immigrants over public safety — allowing antisemitic terrorists like Mohammed Sabry Soliman to strike.' Soliman, an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa, allegedly used Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower during the June 1 attack targeting peaceful marchers who were calling for the release of Hamas-held hostages in Gaza. Fifteen people were injured in the firebombing, during which Soliman allegedly shouted, 'Free Palestine.' 'The passing of my resolution ensures we condemn all acts of antisemitism and affirms that the free and open collaboration between state and local law enforcement with their federal counterparts is key in preventing future attacks like this,' the congressman continued. A separate resolution introduced by Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), who more generally denounced the uptick in antisemitic attacks in the US, passed in a 400-0 vote.
an hour ago
Primary day in New Jersey governor's race could offer hints on how voters feel about Trump
TRENTON, N..J. -- New Jersey voters on Tuesday will settle the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor in a contest that could send signals about how the public is responding to President Donald Trump's agenda and how Democratic voters think their leaders should push back. New Jersey is one of just two states with a race for governor this year — the other is Virginia — and the fact two-term Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited has created fresh drama for the open seat. There's a six-way race on the Democratic side that features several seasoned political figures. Trump's endorsement of former state lawmaker Jack Ciattarelli may have given him a boost on the Republican side, where he faces four primary challengers. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, but it's not the only day of voting. Early in-person voting was held from June 3-8. Mail-in ballots were sent to voters beginning in April. The contest hinges in part on New Jersey issues, including high property taxes and the soaring cost of living, but national politics are sure to figure in. Trump, who has long had a strong presence in New Jersey, waded into the race with his endorsement, attacking Democratic control of state government. Democrats are looking for a winning message and leadership after the sting of bitter losses in 2024. "Because these are the first major elections since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there's a tremendous amount at stake simply through public perception," said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. For Democrats? 'They'll just get further in a hole if they don't hold this seat,' he said. For Republicans? They could win because New Jersey tends to be purple during gubernatorial years, Dworkin said, but that would be viewed as a tremendous victory for Trump. The Democrats running are Mayors Ras Baraka of Newark and Steven Fulop of Jersey City; U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill; teachers union President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Democratic campaign has been hard fought and pricey, with tens of millions spent in one of the country's most expensive media markets. On the Republican side, most of the candidates declared their support for the president's agenda, pressing for a state-level version of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. They've also said they would end so-called sanctuary policies and, in a New Jersey-specific pitch, called for the end of the state's 2020 law banning single-use plastic bags. Ciattarelli has said he would sign an order on his first day in office ending New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, which bars local police from cooperating with federal officials on civil immigration matters. He has also said he would direct whomever he names attorney general to end lawsuits against the Trump administration, including a case aimed at stopping the president's order ending birthright citizenship for people whose parents were in the country illegally. Murphy, who became the first Democrat to be reelected in more than four decades in 2021, is barred from running again by term limits and hasn't endorsed a successor in the primary. Both parties will look to build their general election campaigns on widespread voter frustration. For Democrats, that means focusing on the parts of Trump's aggressive second-term agenda that are unpopular. Republicans, meanwhile, are casting blame for economic hardships on Democrats who've run state government for the last eight years. New Jersey has been reliably Democratic in Senate and presidential contests for decades. But the odd-year races for governor have tended to swing back and forth, and each of the last three GOP governors has won a second term. Democrats have the largest share of registered voters in the state, followed closely by independent voters and then Republicans, who have roughly 800,000 fewer registrations than the Democratic Party. But the GOP has made gains in recent years, shaving the Democrats' lead of more than 1 million more registrations to the current level.
