DSA-backed Donavan McKinney ousts Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan
Why it matters: The upset adds to a string of socialist primary wins that could pull House Democrats further left.
Donavan McKinney, a Democratic state lawmaker backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. The result ended Thanedar’s House tenure after a race that highlighted divisions on the party’s left flank. Thanedar had belonged to the Congressional Progressive Caucus but split from the DSA in 2023 over its response to the Oct. 7 attacks and his support for Israel. McKinney campaigned on affordability, climate and environmental justice, and reducing the role of money in politics, while arguing Thanedar’s wealth left him out of step with the district.