Michigan's 13th District: McKinney beats Thanedar in Democratic socialist upset in US House primary

Summer Ballentine, The Detroit News on Aug 5, 2026

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DETROIT — Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney has unseated U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in the Democratic primary for the Detroit-area congressional seat, a huge upset and a win for progressives and democratic socialists who challenged establishment candidates this year.

McKinney’s success likely will mean Detroit, which is 75% Black, will have a Black representative in Congress for the first time since 2023, when Indian American Thanedar first took office. The 13th District is a Democratic stronghold, and McKinney is heavily favored to win the general election against T.P. Nykoriak, a Republican whose website said he wants to "restore public confidence in government by placing the Constitution, the people of Michigan, and the interests of the United States above politics."

McKinney won 51.5%-47.7% in the Democratic primary with all precincts reporting, according to final, unofficial results from the Wayne County Clerk's Office.

"Detroit, I am honored beyond measure to be your Democratic nominee to represent the Mighty 13th in Congress," McKinney said in a statement Wednesday morning. "I am so proud that our community is sending me to Congress to fight for a better future — because that means our movement has shown them a fighter is what they truly deserve in Washington.”

He was aided by a wave of progressive unrest within the Michigan Democratic Party. McKinney and U.S. Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed cross-endorsed each other in their bids to knock off Thanedar and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, respectively.

McKinney was endorsed by left-wing darling U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and one of Thanedar’s U.S. House colleagues, fellow Detroit-area U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

Thanedar said on social media that he called McKinney to congratulate him on his victory and promised a smooth transition.

"It was the honor of my life to represent the 13th District in the United States Congress," Thanedar said in a statement posted on X. "I’m proud of all the work we did, from solving over 4,300 constituent cases, to securing $45 million in funding for projects in every single part of the district, to leading the fight against Trump and his administration. I look forward to serving out the remainder of my term and wish Representative McKinney the best.”

Roughly 300 McKinney supporters — some wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and holding "Free Palestine" signs — danced to music mixed by a prominent lesbian DJ from the Detroit area at a Tuesday night watch party for McKinney and Tlaib, who wrapped up her own Democratic primary victory Tuesday.

During a speech by Tlaib applauding McKinney for entering the race, supporters at IBEW Local 58's office in the trendy Corktown neighborhood began chanting "Shri is not for me."

Thanedar watched the results roll in with friends and family at a private event at his downtown apartment.

The Democratic primary was a test of Thanedar's two-term record, his substantial financial advantage as a self-funded millionaire, and the loyalty and turnout of older Black Democrats in Detroit who tend to skew moderate.

Ultimately, McKinney was more successful in his appeal to more progressive voters who view Thanedar as an establishment candidate who has failed to effectively represent the district.

Both Thanedar and McKinney campaigned as fighters against President Donald Trump who support progressive policies, including universal health care, eliminating the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and ending the war in Iran. Thanedar also has introduced articles of impeachment against the Republican president.

Thanedar introduced those articles in April 2025, days before Trump visited Warren and shortly after McKinney and another candidate entered the Democratic primary for Thanedar's seat.

The impeachment proposal was not coordinated with U.S. House Democratic leaders and was viewed as a distraction from their counter-messaging on House Republicans' efforts to cut spending on Medicaid and federal food assistance programs. But Thanedar has said Michigan constituents demanded it.

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