Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar has lost his bid for another term after Michigan Democrats chose state Rep. Donavan McKinney as their nominee in Tuesday’s primary, signaling a growing appetite among voters for a new generation of progressive leaders.
According to The Associated Press, McKinney defeated Thanedar in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, a safely Democratic seat that covers parts of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs. The victory puts the 34-year-old lawmaker in a strong position heading into the November general election.
Thanedar, 71, immigrated to the United States from India in 1979 to pursue higher education and later built a successful business career before entering politics. Elected to Congress in 2022, he frequently highlighted his rise from arriving in America with limited resources to becoming an entrepreneur. He also largely self-funded his first congressional campaign, investing millions of dollars from his personal wealth.
Despite sharing several progressive policy positions, including support for universal health care and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the two candidates offered voters contrasting backgrounds. McKinney, who grew up in Detroit, highlighted his local roots and personal experiences while drawing a distinction with Thanedar, whose election four years ago marked the first time in decades that Detroit, a city with a predominantly Black population, was left without Black representation in Congress.
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The race also reflected the Democratic Party’s ongoing divide over Israel and the war in Gaza. McKinney, who has described the conflict as a “genocide,” campaigned alongside prominent pro-Palestinian Democrats, including Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Thanedar, meanwhile, consistently backed U.S. aid to Israel during his time in Congress.
While House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Thanedar, McKinney secured support from several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose backing has helped fuel a series of successful progressive primary challenges across the country.
Thanedar became the latest pro-Israel Democrat to lose to a challenger from the party’s left, following similar defeats suffered this year by Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado, Dan Goldman of New York, and Adriano Espaillat of New York.
Speaking after the race was called, Thanedar acknowledged the broader political shift.
“The socialist movement that has defeated many sitting members in New York and elsewhere has come to Michigan, and we came out short.”
He also pledged to support McKinney in the general election.
Reflecting on his journey, Thanedar said, “This country has given me so much, including an ability to represent 750,000 people in the United States Congress. That has been the honor of my life.”
During his time in Washington, Thanedar drew national attention for repeatedly introducing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and members of his administration, a strategy he had promised to continue if re-elected.
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Throughout the campaign, McKinney leaned on his personal story, highlighting his upbringing in northeast Detroit and arguing that his lived experiences better reflected the district. He also attacked Thanedar over contributions from corporate political action committees and said the loss of friends and relatives to gun violence inspired his push for community-based violence prevention efforts in the Michigan Legislature.
McKinney celebrated his victory by calling it a triumph for grassroots organizing over outside spending. A cryptocurrency industry political action committee, Protect Progress, spent more than $2 million supporting Thanedar’s campaign, according to campaign finance filings.
“This is only the beginning,” McKinney stated in a news release. “Our next chapter starts in January where I will work tirelessly, as I have my whole career, fighting for every resident of my district.”
Thanedar said he had “did not have a Plan B” but would “continue to stay involved and continue to help serve the people of my district.”
“Of course, I’m 71 years old, I have three wonderful grandchildren,” Thanedar said. “So I’m blessed. My life is good.”