Another Democratic Socialist has won a congressional primary, this time in Michigan. The victory continues the progressive surge that has emerged within the Democratic Party, while also making it very likely that the majority-Black Detroit area will again send a Black representative to Congress in January.
McKinney defeats incumbent Rep. Thanedar in Detroit-area Democratic primary
Michigan State Rep. Donovan McKinney won Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the state’s 13th Congressional District. McKinney defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, who was seeking a third term representing the district that includes parts of Detroit and surrounding areas. McKinney largely claimed the mantle of progressive candidate behind the support of legislators such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. McKinney was also backed by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive who defeated centrist Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s US Senate primary Tuesday. During the campaign, McKinney made an issue of Thanedar’s multimillionaire status, which has allowed the Congressman to largely self-fund his campaigns. McKinney said that his victory demonstrated “how the poorest district in the state can come together to defeat the corporate interests and multimillionaires.” McKinney’s campaign argued against big money dictating politics while promoting unions and living wages, as well as other progressive issues such as climate justice.
Complicating the progressive vs. centrist narrative within the Democratic Party
As has been the case with several primary races during this election cycle, the race between McKinney and Thanedar has been framed as another contest between a progressive Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger against a more centrist establishment candidate, though the details are slightly more complex. Rep. Thanedar was endorsed in his quest for a third term by Democratic leadership figures including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as well as Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, and he received money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel lobbying group that has been targeted by progressives and is especially contentious among the Muslim and Arab populations in Michigan. However, progressive Reps. Judy Chu and Ted Lieu of California also backed Thanedar, and he received endorsements from Congressional Progressive Caucus and the left-leaning New Democrat Coalition. Thanedar, who has attempted to impeach President Trump, campaigned on issues of opposing the administration as well as abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and establishing universal health care.
Detroit to regain Black representation in Congress
In the end, however, Axios reported that enthusiasm for Thanedar appeared to be waning even among his colleagues in Congress. As one progressive Democratic legislator said, Democrats in Congress saw Thanedar’s impeachment attempts as detrimental and did not think it wise to oppose “a very strong Black candidate representing a Black district.” Given the overwhelmingly Democratic makeup of the 13th District, McKinney is the heavy favorite to win November’s general election. His expected victory will mean that Detroit, which is approximately 75% Black, will once again be represented by a Black member of Congress, which was the case until Thanedar won the 13th District in 2022. McKinney has emphasized growing up in Northeast Detroit and has pledged to support community-based approaches to tackling gun violence, which has impacted his own friends and family.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, McKinney should cruise to victory in November, sending him to Congress in 2027 and giving him the opportunity to promote his progressive and pro-Detroit agenda. While Democratic insiders insist that the unique circumstances of Detroit prevent McKinney’s primary race from neatly fitting into the larger DSA vs establishment Democrats narrative, McKinney and his supporters point to his victory as a win for Detroit and a return to Black representation for the city.