Rep. Shri Thanedar Loses Michigan Primary to Donavan McKinney

Rep. Shri Thanedar has lost his Democratic primary in Michigan to state Rep. Donavan McKinney, NBC News projects, handing the party's progressive wing its latest victory over the Democratic establishment.

McKinney, 34, a state lawmaker and democratic socialist, ran on a platform that includes "Medicare for All," new restrictions on military aid to Israel and large investments in sectors such as clean energy and housing. He won the backing of prominent progressives in Michigan and nationally.

His endorsers included Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. The groups Justice Democrats and Leaders We Deserve also backed him as part of a broader slate of challengers taking on incumbents around the country this year.

The dynamics of the Detroit-area seat, however, make the result more complicated than other progressive primary wins this cycle. Thanedar narrowly won the district in 2022 after self-funding his campaign, and he has drawn scrutiny since.

He initially ran as a progressive but split with the Democratic Socialists of America in 2023 — Thanedar says he quit, while the local chapter says he was expelled — and has rebranded more around support for Israel. He also drew criticism from fellow Democrats over a push to impeach President Donald Trump that party leadership had not sanctioned, though he recently secured endorsements from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other top House Democrats.

Thanedar's campaign finances have attracted attention as well. His campaign reported losing more than $2 million this year on cryptocurrency investments, a relatively uncommon use of campaign money, and he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money on television ads from his congressional office that resembled campaign ads.

McKinney announced his bid about 16 months before the primary. He highlighted growing up in poverty and becoming the first in his family to attend college, along with his record in the Legislature, to argue he could be effective immediately in Washington.

In the end, Thanedar's personal liabilities combined with broader Democratic voter frustration toward the party establishment and a unified progressive campaign up and down the ballot in Michigan.