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Shri Thanedar Is Ousted by a Democratic Socialist in a Michigan House Primary
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Democratic primary voters in Michigan's 13th Congressional District ousted incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar, nominating progressive state representative Donavan McKinney in a deep-blue district.
- Both candidates support progressive policies like universal health care and abolishing ICE, but McKinney, a Black Detroit native, emphasized his local roots compared to Thanedar, an Indian immigrant whose 2022 election left Detroit without a Black representative for the first time in decades.
- The race highlighted Democratic voters' backlash against pro-Israel lawmakers, with McKinney condemning the war in Gaza as "genocide" and Thanedar consistently voting to fund aid for Israel.
- McKinney was endorsed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Senator Bernie Sanders, while Thanedar had the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
- Thanedar's defeat follows a pattern this summer of pro-Israel Democrats losing to younger, more progressive challengers supported by the Democratic Socialists of America.
