State Rep. Donavan Mc Kinney unseated U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan's 13th Congressional District primary, a key test of Democratic Socialist momentum.

Mc Kinney, backed by progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed, also received support from Justice Democrats and the Metro Detroit Democratic Socialists of America. The rally saw candidates from Pennsylvania and Colorado, recent Democratic primary winners, rally behind Mc Kinney, who energized volunteers with a call‑and‑response chant, “We deserve…Better,” before a final outreach push.

Thanedar, an Indian immigrant and former pharmaceutical entrepreneur, has financed his campaigns with personal wealth—over $13.6 million in three runs—investing heavily in cryptocurrency and benefitting from nearly $2 million in pro‑crypto super‑PAC spending. He previously joined the Democratic Socialists of America but left after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, citing insufficient condemnation of the violence. While both candidates support Medicare for All, they diverge on U.S. foreign policy toward Israel; Thanedar aligns with the AIPAC, whereas Mc Kinney calls for ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

The 13th District, covering Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, the Grosse Pointes, Downriver communities, and parts of western Wayne County, is solidly Democratic. As primary winner, Mc Kinney is virtually assured of victory over GOP nominee T.P. Nykoriak in November.