Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney | McKinney campaign
Published originally by POLITICO (April 28, 2025)
Justice Democrats are back to primarying incumbents. The progressive group that aimed to oust moderate Democrats, known for helping power members of the “Squad” into office, is endorsing a Michigan state lawmaker’s primary challenge against Rep. Shri Thanedar.
The group is hoping to capitalize on anti-incumbent sentiment among the Democratic base, with liberals calling on party leaders to mount a more effective and visible resistance to President Donald Trump.
“Democratic voters in the face of unprecedented attacks on our livelihoods and liberties are fed up with a Democratic Party overrun by do-nothing career politicians who are totally unequipped to lead in this moment,” Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of Justice Democrats, said in a statement endorsing state Rep. Donavan McKinney in the Michigan House race. “Donavan represents the future the Democratic Party should be fighting for: working class people taking our power back from multimillionaires to deliver for everyday people.”
It’s a change in strategy after the group pivoted to protect its incumbent progressives last cycle who had faced primary challenges of their own. But Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) still lost their races amid a flood of outside spending led largely by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Now, the progressive group is hoping to recapture the base energy that propelled the first group of Justice Democrat-affiliated lawmakers into office during the first Trump midterm election in 2018.
McKinney is formally kicking off his campaign in the Detroit-area district, a seat POLITICO had previously reported his interest in. Some Black Democrats have sought to oust Thanedar, calling for Black representation in the district, and McKinney had discussed a bid with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“I’m running for Congress because we deserve better. We deserve a Democratic Party that leads the fight against the billionaires robbing us blind. That stands up to corporate PACs, that doesn’t sell out to them. Our country and our children can afford nothing less,” he said in a video announcing his bid. “People like our congressman — Shri Thanedar — are the problem. A multimillionaire who spent millions to buy a seat in Congress, who has more in common with Donald Trump and Elon Musk than people like us.”
It’s a jab at Thanedar’s wealth after he self-funded previous campaigns.
McKinney, 32, was first elected to the state legislature in 2022 and has ties to the state’s powerful labor groups. He has served as a legislative director in the state House, worked for SEIU Healthcare Michigan and had a spot on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Environmental Justice council.
Michigan Democrats see Thanedar as vulnerable to a primary challenge amid controversy over his office’s spending and unorthodox legislating style. But McKinney won’t have the primary field to himself, with former state Sen. Adam Hollier running for the seat a third time and potentially dividing the anti-Thanedar vote. And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he will stand by all Democratic incumbents.
Hollier lost to Thanedar in a crowded 2022 primary. He locked up substantial support from Michigan Democratic leaders and Black Democrats ahead of the 2024 primary but was disqualified from the ballot over a scandal with his petition signatures.
Another potential wrinkle: AIPAC could spend significant money to protect Thanedar — and block McKinney. That would mark a reversal of their stance during the 2022 primary, when the powerful group backed Hollier. But since then, Thanedar has taken more pro-Israel stances and has been endorsed by the group. He’s already received donations earmarked through AIPAC, too.
Thanedar could put substantial sums of his own money toward a competitive primary. But Thanedar’s most recent campaign finance filings raised eyebrows among Democrats after he reported losing $1.35 million in investment income in two months. Thanedar had previously invested part of his campaign war chest in cryptocurrency, which declined in value.
In a statement posted later Monday, Thanedar defended his record.
“Voters have a choice between my bold, strong and proven leadership, or Hollier’s incompetence, or McKinney’s inexperience,” Thanedar said. “I’m confident that my constituents in Michigan 13 will send me back to Congress again.”